


Becoming Human

by C_H



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe?, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Carl & Markus parent-child relationship, Case Fic, Christmas Fluff, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Needs a Hug, Crush at First Sight, Detroit but in book form!, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Elijah Kamski Being an Asshole, Elijah Kamski is actually a semi-nice dude?, Emotions, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gavin Reed Being an Asshole, Gavin Reed redemption?, Hank Anderson & Connor Parent-Child Relationship, Less cringy content, M/M, Minor Markus/North (Detroit: Become Human), North and Hank are besties, Oblivious Connor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PINING MARKUS, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, RK1000 - Freeform, Red Ice (Detroit: Become Human), Slow Burn, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, but a good one, but not really, did I mention slow burn?, story continues after the canon ending!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-06-20 12:43:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 142,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15534513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_H/pseuds/C_H
Summary: As Connor lives out his first few months in Detroit, things go from bad to worse. He takes orders from the wrong people but follows through. He gets torn between what's right and wrong, and gets lost in a world of emotion.Markus, who has an undying love for people is unable to give up the idea that they are ultimately good. He's questioned, and belittled and put in the position of leader simply because he's willing to take a chance. But he doesn't know how to lead, nor does he really want too.Connor must choose a side, and Markus must quickly learn what it takes to be a leader. Despite their struggles, they'll have to somehow manage to pull through and quite possibly find it easier to breathe when they're together.





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I'm extremely excited for this project. It's a big one and will take awhile. Detroit deserves to be understood. It's a hard game to play because the story can make us hurt. Make us realize how scary people can be. I want to write this story and try to understand just how Connor and Markus feel throughout the whole thing. In the game you don't really get to know what they're thinking, you only see what terrible things happen around them. I think people would appreciate the story more if they understood that it's meant to tell us a story of pain- it isn't meant to be easy to get through. And most of all we should be reminded that people are capable of being this cruel, and use the story as a reminder of how to love.
> 
> This story will retell Detroit the video game and go further past the ending into my own, non-canon story. The primary relationship is Connor and Markus but it won't begin to build until the Crossroads. Everything up to that point will be canon with a few interpretations of my own- obviously.
> 
> Thank you for giving this a chance, and let me know what you think.

**August 15, 2038**

There were few things in this world that Connor could not focus on. His mind was constantly working, solving problems and at times he would reflect on old cases; like they could have been solved differently. This world was mapped out like a flowchart for him, he could close his eyes and imagine all the different possible outcomes of a single action and always managed to choose the best one. Some would consider it a strange obsession, others would call it a gift. In Connors case though, it was much different.

A program, really.

Connor was an android, specifically an RK800 prototype built for the sole purpose of assisting the Detroit law enforcement. He specialized in cases involving other androids, ones that went rouge; deviants, his program had told him. He trusted everything he was designed with, although the idea of trust was a concept he used for lack of a better term- for he didn’t really need any type of emotion to do his job. He listened, and performed as needed. Nothing more, nothing less. These words were pounded into his programing since before he first opened his eyes.

On August 1st he was created, and now on August 15th he’s being sent on his first actual mission: Negotiate with the Deviant. It seemed simple enough and Connor had undergone extensive testing or “practice” in the past few days. His mind worked perfectly, and he felt something that  _ could _ be considered the equivalent to human confidence: if he were human. But he was, in fact, an android. He was not human.  _ He was not alive. _

At least that’s how it had seemed at the time. And what Connor had told himself over and over again.

A silver coin rolled perfectly from knuckle to knuckle as Connor watched the floors tick by on the elevator. The cold metal leaving little prickling sensations over his synthetic skin. He flicked the coin between his fingers before switching to passing it quickly between his hands. The process was, in a way, calming. He had it down to the equivalent of muscle memory, which made catching the coin between two fingers all the more simple.

One floor away, Connor pocketed the coin and adjusted his tie, tightening it up to his neck before dropping his hands to his sides. The elevator doors slid open just a second after and the scene was revealed. To his right stood an officer, upon a quick scan Connor could tell his stress levels were high, and his voice was a tad off as he announced to- presumably- their captain.

“Negotiator on sight.” The man said, and disappeared down the hall.

Connor exited the elevator, further into the room, the entryway was long, and designed with darker tones. The air was frantic as shouting could be heard from the other rooms, deeper into the apartment. A picture caught his eye, and without a second thought he grabbed it, doing a quick scan to identify the names of the family at risk. The Phillips family.

“No no- please I can’t leave her!” A woman's voice came from down the hall, Connor set the photo down and looked up, a flash of color catching his eye. On the floor laid a fish, flopping and writhing out of the tank nearby. Connor watched it curiously for a moment, head tilting to the side as he slowly stepped forward. For a moment the loud sounds of panic and fear were blocked out. He stooped down and cautiously picked up the fish. He could feel its life slowly draining and his thoughts seemed to waver-

_ Was this fish afraid to die? _

He shook the thought away and gently set the fish back into the tank where it instantly calmed down, and began to swim. Connor watched with interest before his attention was once again focused on the mission, but there was still a strange, tingling feeling in the back of his mind that just wouldn’t seem to go away. He did his best to shake it off.

Connor turned around just in time to see the mother, Caroline Phillips, being escorted out. Her eyes fell on him and there was a flash of emotion that Connor couldn’t quite name dancing across her face, mostly hidden in her eyes. He reached for him, her hands clutching onto his jacket as she pleaded with him.

“Please, please you must save my little girl!” She cried, Connor watched with a calm demeanor, not bothering to answer as he watched the realization hit her.

“Wait...You’re sending an android?” She asked, pulling her hands away like he had burned her skin. She backed up looking him up and down, tears slowly turning into anger.

“Alright ma’am, let’s go.” The officer beside her grabbed her outstretched hands and began pulling her towards the elevator.

“You can’t…...You can’t do that! Wait please-!” She shouted, Connor watched as she was pulled away. She kept eye contact with him as she shouted. “Why aren’t you sending a real person?!” Connor turned back around.

_ A real person? _

He continued further into the room. The woman's cries becoming more distant. “Don’t let that thing near her!” She was saying. But Connor ignored it and instead focused on the mission prompt flashing in the corner of his eyes.  **Find Captain Allen** it said, and as always, Connor obeyed.

As he wandered in further he could hear the harsh words of the other ops. He knew deep down that they were directed at him and in any normal case would be harmful, and a normal human response would be one of sorrow, or possibly anger. But again, Connor was unable to feel those types of emotions, and therefore continued forward, ignoring their words.

He made his way through the rooms, catching a glimpse of the doors leading to the balcony, where the supposed Deviant was. Connor entered the master bedroom where he saw Captain Allen himself, looking quite disgruntled. Connor approached slowly, hands folding behind his back.

“Fuck!” The captain muttered as Connor came to a halt behind him. “I don’t believe this.”

“Captain Allen?” He asked, trying to gain the man’s attention. “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.” He barely got a glance before the captain went back to looking at the computer screen. Connor waited.

“It’s firing at everything that moves,” the captain said. “It’s already shot down two of my men….” Connor realized he was addressing him. “We could easily get it but they’re at the edge of the balcony.” He sighed. “If it falls,” He looks back at Connor. “She falls.” Connor sees the prompts flash in the corner of his eyes, displaying needed information.

_ Name? Previous behavior? Possible emotional shock? Deactivation code? _

“Do you know if it’s been acting strangely before this?” Connor asked.

“I haven’t got a clue. Does it matter?” Allen asked, not bothering to look at him.

 

“I need information to determine the best approach.” Connor explained, referring back to his prompts. “Do you know it’s name?” He asked, leaning forward slightly to try and catch the captains eye. The man let out a heavy sigh and turned to look at him, Connor straightened his back.

“Listen,” Allen said. “Saving that kid is all that matters. So either you deal with this fucking android now, or I’ll take care of it.” The captain said, standing dangerously close to Connor, but the RK800 stood his ground, keeping his face neutral as he watched the man brush past him. Red flared his vision as his program warned him:

_Probability of success: 48%_ _Every second counts_. Connor saw two seperate choices appear before him. _Understand what happened_ or _Stop deviant at all costs._ Upon further processing he was given the possible results of immediate confrontation; most outcomes resulting in failure. He could, of course, sacrifice himself if all else failed. But the small percentage of the little girl being harmed kept him from doing so. Instead Connor did a quick scan of the master bedroom.

An open case caught his eye and he cautiously stepped towards it, kneeling down to analyze. It was a gun case, all black, model MS853 Black Hawk. Next to the case was an empty ammunition box. Connor used the clues to reconstruct- the deviant had stolen the father's gun:  _ Probability of success 50% _

Connor stood back up and navigated the rooms, keeping a keen eye to see any possible clues. He needed to know what set the Android off, why was it acting out? Androids were built to follow commands and serve. But recently more and more of them had been breaking free of their programing. A bug, perhaps?

The RK800 entered the hostages room and gently picked up a pair of discarded headphones: music was still pouring out of the small speakers.  _ She didn’t hear the gunshots _ ? Connor set the headphones back down and turned to the desk where an Ipad sat. He eyed it before clicking it on to see a video was queued up. Connor tapped the play button to see- the hostage? She was with the deviant, the video was dated a few days back. Connor watched their happy faces and wondered what could have made the android- Daniel apparently- crack?

_Probability of success 61%_ _Deviant’s name: Daniel, new possible outcome_.

Connor left the hostages room and back into the hallway, casting a curious glance to the bathroom but didn’t bother checking inside. More gunshots rang out from the main living room as Connor approached. The cries of other police officers rang out, filled with swears of anger and pain. Connor didn’t flinch, he gazed around the room and saw two seperate victims, his objective screen told him to analyze them. He turned towards the father, who was laying on the ground. After close inspection he identified the man as John Phillips, shot three times and couldn’t be saved. Before the attack he was on his tablet- which was….where?

Connor looked around the scene, watching as the reconstruction played out. He even stepped out of the way of the human shaped lines as they danced about the room. His eyes focused on the tablet being discarded across the room and into the corner. Connor ended the simulation and reached for it. On the screen was a new android.

_Deviant was being replaced? Probability of success 70%_ _New dialogue possible._

Connor set the tablet back down. Could he risk it? The more time he spent the less likely he was to succeed. He glanced out towards the balcony, but his objectives still said to analyze victims-

He went to the other victim, a DPD first responder. He was shot, but also shot the deviant. The hostage witnessed it all? Could be traumatizing. Residue was on the vics fingers- he had a gun. But where was it? Connor saw it get knocked away and slide under the table in the reconstruction and reached for it. The metal was heavy in his hands. Connor eyed the weapon as his program gave him two options.

_ Keep? Put back? _

He took it.

_ Probability of success 78% _

Connor stood back up, tucking the gun in his waistband at his back. He approached the large sliding glass doors and knelt down next to the small puddle of the wood floor. He dipped two fingers into the puddle and lifted the blue blood to his lips, swiping his tongue across the  tips of his fingers to analyze it.

_ Thirium. Also called “Blue Blood.” Model PL600. Still fresh. _

_ Probability of success 81% _

It was time. Connor stood back up and walked calmly to the doors, a police officer stepped out of his way but was still there for covering fire. Connor pulled back the blinds and stepped out. As soon as he stepped both feet out onto the patio, the deviant shot and the bullet hit him in the left shoulder. Connor’s LED flashes red at the impact and could feel a twinge of- annoyance? It couldn’t be. He looked back at the deviant, trying his best to ignore the loud sounds of the helicopters. 

“Stay back! Don’t come any closer or I’ll jump!” The deviant shouted.

“No! No, please! I’m begging you!” The hostage- cried, he was holding her in one arm, the other held a gun pointed right at Connor.

_ What do I start with? _ Connor thought and instantly,  _ Name _ . Flashed in his prompt que.  _ Yes of course. _

“Hello Daniel.” Conor spoke, voice calm and even. He heard Daniels shocked “How-?” as he continued. “My name is Connor.”

“How do you know my name?” He demanded.

 

“I know a lot of things about you.” Connor said, slowly starting to walk forward. “I’m here to get you out of this.” As soon as he spoke a helicopter swooped by, Connor could see the deviants stress increase.

_ Probability of success 68% _

His que flashed, telling him to gain the deviants trust and approach slowly. Prompts popped up as well.  _ Calm? Release hostage? Reassure Daniel? Empathize? _

He went with calm, as he slowly walked towards a downed officer to his left. He looked alive, but his arm was hurt.

“I know you’re angry, Daniel. But you need to trust me and let me help you.” Connor said.

“I don’t want your help!” Daniel shouted. “Nobody can help me! All I want is for this to stop! I….” Connor bent down to analyze the wounded cop. He vaguely noticed his success probability increase but paid no mind. He looked between Daniel and the cop before settling his gaze on the deviant.

“He’s losing blood. If we don’t get him to a hospital he’s going to die.” Connor said.

“All humans die eventually.” The deviant said, gun pointed at the child's head. “What does it matter if this one dies now?”

“I am going to apply a tourniquet.” Connor said, rolling the man over and pulling his arm over so he could see it better. A gunshot was fired and hit the ground just inches from Connor and the cops arm. Connor looked up.

“Don’t touch him!” He yelled. “Touch him and I kill you!”

_ Kill me? _

Two prompts responses appeared.  _ Ignore? Obey? _ The choice was easy. Either way the result was the same.

“You can’t kill me.” Connor said, “I’m not alive.” This seemed to throw the deviant off. He didn’t shoot when Connor continued to help the police officer.

_ Probability of success 66% Public opinion neutral. _

Connor stood back up. More prompts filled his mind.  _ Possible cause? Realistic? Blaming? Defective? _ Connor took a risk.

“You’re defective Daniel. There’s a problem with your software and we’re going to fix you and everything will be okay.” He said, once again edging closer.

“I don’t need to be fixed!” He yelled. “I’m working perfectly! But my eyes are open now….” A strange sort of smile spread across the deviants lips. Connor listened with interest. “I will never let anyone humiliate me again…” He said, anger flashing across his face as he pressed the gun against the girls head. Her face scrunched up in fear. “Ever.” Connor felt a pang of- something he couldn’t name.

_ Possible cause? Blaming? Sympathetic? Realistic?  _ Another chance.

“Look what you did!” Connor shouted. “You’re designed to serve humans not kill them!”

“What was I designed to be?” Daniel responded. “Their slave? Their toy? I just wanted them to care about me….I just wanted to matter.” Connor locked eyes with the deviant as he spoke again. “I just wanted to be  _ someone _ …” There it was again. That feeling. Connor let his eyes fall to the hostage- Emma.

“Are you okay Emma?” He asked.

“Please help me….” She whimpered. “I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!” She cried.

“No one is going to die.” Connor said calmly, “Stay calm. Everything is going to be fine.” He was getting rather close….He had to help her. She was-? What was it?

_ Scared….That's right. She was scared. _

_ Probability of success 35% _

The helicopter flew past again. Causing Daniel to shout in anger.

“Agh! I can’t stand that noise anymore! Tell that helicopter to get out of here!” He yelled. Connor looked up at the said machine. Connor lifted an arm to signal it away.

“There…” He said as it flew off. “I did what you wanted.”

_ Last chance? Trust? Bluff? Rational? _

“I’m your last chance, Daniel.” Connor said, pointing at himself. He was just a few steps away now. “If you let it slip. They’ll kill you.”

_ Probability of success 37% _

“Let the hostage go! You have no other choice!”

“I want everyone to leave! And I wanna car….I’ll let her go when I’m out of the city.” Daniel said. A hint of desperateness in his voice.

_ Sacrifice self? Compromise? Refuse? ….? _

Connor blinked. He missed something? What was it? His thirium pump felt wrong in his chest as he went over his words. The next few outcomes were less than savory. But he pressured him further, hoping for a change.

_ Hoping? _

“That’s out of the question.” Connor said. “You’re a machine, you have to obey, now put the gun down and let the hostage go!” He said with more aggression than he had before. But as soon as the words left his mouth Connor knew, he  _ knew _ that was the wrong choice.

“I’ve spent my life taking orders…” He said. Backing up. Connor watched with alarm. “Now it’s my turn to decide….” He said, pulling the gun away and stepping back.

The next few second seemed to pass by in slow motion. Daniel began leaning back over the edge of the building, letting himself fall with the girl. Connor forced himself into action and leapt forward, reaching out for the little girls hand as she groped desperately at empty air. His hand closed around hers as he used his own body weight to swing her back onto the building and let himself fall over the edge with the deviant.

The open air felt, oddly freeing. But at the same time he felt….what was it? He couldn’t quite remember. Connor let his eyes slide shut, knowing no matter what he does now the result will be the same. Impact will kill him. Behind his eyelids, a message flashed.

_ Mission successful. _

_ Oh right. _ Connor remembered the feeling.

_ Scared. That’s right…...He was scared. _

**November 5th 2038**

It was still morning, the sun was warm despite it only being approximately fifty degrees. Markus was following his objective:  **Go to Bellini Paint Shop.** But he let himself enjoy the park. The leaves were falling and a brilliant orange. Markus had managed to find some form of enjoyment from scenery because of his owner- Carl Manfred was a painter and always had him looking at things a little  _ deeper _ than anyone else.

Markus stepped out of the way as a little girl ran past him and into the arms of another android. He watched curiously for just a moment, face remaining stoic but he still felt  _ warm _ . Interestingly enough. He blamed Carl for his weird way of thinking. He knew most androids had little to no opinion on things- but Markus….he was a little different. But he never thought to question it. He was, after all, just an android.

Rather than rush off, Markus took his time- he observed the actions of others around him. Listening to the chatter of everyday life was somehow- caliming? No, it was just interesting to see their interactions. How differently people were treated by each other- or rather how other people treated the androids.

He looked over to an old woman and her healthcare android, it helped her up and the woman expressed gratitude. He looked to the two runners, one android, one human. The android gave the statistics of their run and offered water- once the man drank he tossed it back, hitting the android smack in the chest, and they continued running.

Markus walked further down the path until the park came to an end, once he was on the sidewalk he glanced to his left to see construction workers. In the large pit was an android, working. The people were yelling down at it to work faster so they could be done. Markus couldn’t really identify that as negative or positive. He just observed quietly. To the right was a man, sitting on the side of the street with a sign propped up in front of him.

**Ban Androids** , it said.  **Androids ruin our country. We want jobs!**

The man wouldn’t look at him. Markus felt- something. He wasn’t sure what. Although he knew he didn’t need to. People would solve this problem sooner or later. Weather it be by recalling androids or- some other drastic measure. People could be relied on- couldn’t they?

Markus shook his thoughts away and continued on his way. He crossed the street when the crosswalk lit up green. Doing his best to avoid bumping into anyone. Across the street was a shopping center, people walking to and from stores and down the streets, in groups, alone, it varied. Markus came to a stop near a hot dog vendor, he gazed at the cart with mild interest and hadn’t heard the man shouting at him until he was coming out from behind the cart.

“What are you deaf, you plastic fuck? I said move it!” He yelled and pushed Markus away. His LED flashing red, yellow….and eventually back to blue once the man left. Markus quickly walked away, not wanting to anger the man further. Instead he wandered towards a man with a guitar. He stopped a few feet away, standing with a few others. A sign in front of him read:

**Human singing! Hear music with soul. 1$**

Markus listened. It was pleasant. Not hurting his ears. But he couldn’t really deem music good or bad. Nor could he understand what  _ with soul _ meant. He mused quietly about it. How did it sound different? He knew humans had souls, perhaps it was another jab at androids- because they certainly didn’t have souls. Or so he was told.

Markus walked away. His attention was caught by a small crowd of people forming further down the street. As he approached, he heard the voice of a man, speaking with what Carl would call “fiery passion” A term he had stored for future use when Carl used it. Markus had to ask what he had meant, which got a laugh from the man, and a lengthy explanation.

“Verily, I say unto thee! The day shall come when we have to pay for our arrogance! On that day, we shall have to explain our acts of idolatry!” The man’s gaze locked with Markus’ “Why do you gaze at me so, demon? I know who you are!” He yelled, pointing at him. “I can see through you! You are the one by whom The Evil will come! You are the one who will destroy Detroit!” He finished, staring at Markus for another few seconds before backing off and returning to his preaching. Markus stepped back slowly before walking away entirely, not listening to his words.

Rather than make any more detors, Markus went to Bellini Paints. The glass door opened easily and he walked in. Once at the counter he placed his hand down on the interface pad to give his identification.

“Identification verified.” The android at the counter said and reached behind the counter for Markus’ order. It placed the box of paint on the counter. “Here’s your order #847. That’ll be 63.99$. Please confirm payment.”

Markus’ LED flashed yellow as he completed the transaction, the other android’s LED also changing color.

“Payment confirmed.” Markus said.

“Transaction complete.” The android said.

Markus took the package, tucking it under his arm as he went to exit the shop. He went back the way he came, objective changing to  **catch the bus back home.** He wandered towards the bus stop, he had to pass the large CyberLife building. It’s blue screen read the words: Buy yours today! And Markus tried not to look at it. Rather, he looked ahead at the group of forming protesters in front of the building, and unfortunately in front of the bus stop. He kept walking forward. Hearing their loud shouting.

“Where the fuck you going, tin can? Hm?” Markus watched as one of the men walked forward to cut him off. He stopped. He tried to step to the left- blocked. The right- blocked.

“Hey guys check it out. We got one of those tin cans here…..” The man said, smiling at Markus in a rather- unfriendly way. The rest of the protesters began circling him. Markus didn’t move. Not until a firm shove at his back knocked him down to the ground, his paint box falling from his hands. At first Markus just laid there.

“Look at this motherfucker. You steal our jobs but you can’t even stand up.” Markus pushed up onto his arms. Hearing them jeer at him.

“Yeah yeah! Grab him! Push him down!”

“Get that bum! Yeah take that on! Take it!”

“Yeah now you know what it feels like! Go on! Go on!” Markus started to slowly get up.

“You job stealer! Kick him out of here!” “Yeah you deserve it!” They shouted as a kick hit him in the stomach, knocking him back down to the ground. Markus stayed there for a moment. Feeling himself shake. He didn’t know what it was. Something wasn’t right inside him. He didn’t like it. He knew he shouldn’t like being kicked, yelled at. But he had to. He was being told to stay down.

He had to listen.

“Come one.” The original man said, Markus began to push himself up again. The man roughly grabbed him and pulled him up. Yelling in his face but Markus wasn’t listening anymore. He wanted to leave. Why wouldn’t they let him go?

“Alright.”  A calmer voice said, pushing through the group. “That’s enough.” It was a police officer. “Leave it alone.”

“Let us teach this bastard a lesson.” The man said, not breaking eye contact with Markus.

“You damage it. I’m gonna have to fine you.” The police officer said. Only then did the man look away from Markus. He frowned and pushed him away.Markus bent to pick up the box of paint.

“They’re gonna take your job next.” The man said. Jabbing a finger at the officer. “We’ll see how you like it.”

“Okay.” Was all the officer said, and they finally left Markus alone. He slipped away back towards the bus stop.

He stepped up to the blue plate and waited for the bus to arrive. It wasn’t long until it did. Markus climbed into the back of the bus to stand with the other androids in the back. The whole time, Markus replayed the previous scene in his head. The old woman, the runner, the construction, the vendor, the singer, the preacher….the protestors. They were all different in a way. They all made him react differently, but one stood out. The entire time he couldn’t shake the feeling that eventually things would change. What was the word Carl had once used….

_ Was it hope? _


	2. Breaking through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Painter.
> 
> The Interrogation.
> 
> Broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A littler later than I had hoped but still a reasonable time.
> 
> I'm glad so many of you like this! I'll be sure to add more of my own ideas, to make it not exactly like the main story. It'll start changing into my own ideas as we progress. This chapter was a lot longer than I expected it to be but I wanted to get through this chunk as quickly as I could. I feel so bad for Markus :( That whole scene makes me sad every time. Writing it was surprisingly difficult.
> 
> Let me know what you think! Feel free to ask questions or give ideas. I'd ask for theories but- we aren't far enough in for that quiiiite yet. Enjoy!

**November 5th 2038**

**Win? Lose? Draw?**

The choices flashed in Markus’ eyes as he let his hands fly across the chess board and gently tap the timer. It was a constant back and forth. Neither party slowing down: it was, after all, a game of speed chess. Markus looked up at Carl as the man placed his next piece and saw the determination in his eyes. A look Markus saw quite often from the man when he was painting. There was also a hint of stubbornness that often showed when he refused to take his medicine in the morning. But Markus always won. Maybe it was time for a change?

Markus placed his last piece and hesitated, knowing he had lost. Carl saw his chance and took it. He looked up and met Markus’ eyes, he looked- disappointed? Why? Markus felt himself frown a little as he looked at Carl.

“Now…” Carl began with a sigh. “That was just a little bit to easy. Are your circuits rusty?” Markus looked anywhere but at Carl as he spoke but did catch his eye as he shifted in his seat. Did he make a mistake? “Or are you just taking pity on an old man?” Carl asked.

 **Truth? Lie?** Markus lied.

“Neither Carl, you just played better.” He tried to explain, eyebrows raised to express earnesty.

“Never throw a match, Markus.” Carl said. Voice stern, like a parent scolding a child. “If you can win, win. That’s what got humanity to where it is today.” Markus watched as Carl looked away, out the wide window they were set up by. He could see something in his eyes, it was a little different from usual. Sad, but at the same time hopeful. Hope was an emotion Markus loved to see in Carl’s eyes. When he had that he was always more chipper, more ready to spend another day in life. Markus knew he was getting old and couldn’t bare thinking of what was to come.

“One day, I won’t be here to take care of you anymore.” Carl began, as if reading his mind. Markus shifted in his seat, unhappy with the turn of conversation. “You’ll have to protect yourself, make your own choices…Decide who you are, and what you wanna become.” He let out a long sigh, and finally looked back at Markus. “The world doesn’t like those who are different Markus. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be.”

Markus didn’t say anything. Keeping his hands resting lightly on the table top. He looked down, processors running quicker than usual. How was he supposed to do that? Even if Markus could feel the want- the need of being his own person, his program would never allow it. Carl was the only person who ever treated Markus highly. He had seen how androids were treated and knew he would never survive without him. In a way, Markus was living thought Carl. He didn’t want to lose him. He didn’t want to make his own choices.

“Let’s go to the studio.” Carl said, softly changing the subject. Markus nodded and stood up, grabbing Carl’s chair to wheel him into his art studio. The automatic doors slid open as they approached and they went inside. The studio itself was quite messy, paintings were everywhere. But it felt right, Carl enjoyed having his works stacked and leaning everywhere. His latest project was rather large and many shades of blue. Markus couldn’t really say he understood what it meant, but he still liked it.

Markus wheeled Carl over to his lift, and let him get to work, pulling the sheet off of the large painting. Markus watched with interest as the man set to work and stayed quiet. To occupy his time he began wandering the studio, picking things up where he could. The whole room was honestly a lost cause but Carl had told him that a painter never really cared about a mess. If you weren’t finding paint behind your ears at night you weren’t doing it right. The thought made Markus smile a bit, though he wasn’t sure why.

Carl was speaking, but it was to himself, Markus noticed. He often did this when he was painting. Telling himself what to do and how to do it. At first Markus was confused by it but later learned it was just his way of working. It was intriguing and Markus had to wonder how useful it really was.

Markus set the paint he had picked up on the shelf and straightened some cups, relocated some rolled up paintings and returned some brushes to their original spot before he finally spared another glance at Carl’s progress. The man was back on the ground, looking up at his newest painting. Markus slowly approached and gazed up as well, but said nothing.

“So…” Carl said. “What’s your verdict Markus?”

**Like? Don’t like? No opinion?**

“Yes there’s, something about it.” Markus said, gazing up at the painting, swirls of blue and black intertwining, mixing in perfect harmony but also with a hint of a challenge. It was quite- something. “Something I can’t….quite define..” He paused, looking skeptically at it. “I guess, I like it.” He finally said. Nodding to himself.  
“The truth is I’ve got nothing left to say anymore.” Carl said. Looking away from his painting. Markus looked down at him, brows furrowed. “Each day that goes by brings me closer to the end….I’m just and old man clinging to his brushes.”

“Carl…” Markus said, looking back at the work. What was wrong with it? Why was he feeling this way?

“That’s enough about me.” Carl said. “Lets see if you have any talent!” Markus looked at him in alarm. Him? Paint? He couldn’t possibly. His piano talent came from his programing but painting was nowhere within his skill set.

“Give it a try.” He encouraged. “Try painting something.”

“Paint? But, what I-” Markus tried. “Painting what?”

“Anything you want!” Carl said. “Give it a try.”

Rather than argue, Markus looked at the blank canvas in front of him. A nervous smile gracing his face. He reached for the Artist Palette Carl was holding out to him, along with a brush. It took him a moment to find something worth painting, he could recreate Carl’s painting? The bust? The art table?

He decided on the art table. It was messy and full of colors. An interesting enough thing to paint. It didn’t take exceptionally long, considering Markus’ android abilities. When it was finished, he stepped back to let Carl have a look, waiting for his opinion. If Markus was being honest, it didn’t feel the same as Carl’s paintings. It was missing something. What was it though? He frowned, minds re-tracing his recent steps.

**Hear music with soul, 1$ a song.**

Was that it? Was it missing soul? Was Markus unable to paint like Carl because he wasn’t really- well, **a person**?

“That’s a perfect copy.” Carl said, breaking him from his thoughts. “But painting isn’t about...replicating the world it’s about interpreting it, improving on it. Showing something that you see.”

“Carl I don’t…” Markus began, looking between him and his painting. “Think that I can do that. It’s….Not in my program, I….”  
“Go on go! Try. Grab that canvas.” Carl insisted. Markus hesitated, but did anyway. Setting up a new canvas as he was told.

“Go on and do something for me. Close your eyes.” Carl said. “Close your eyes…..Trust me.” He added on upon seeing Markus’ unsure face, but he listened, at let his eyes fall shut.

“Try to imagine something that doesn’t exist. Something you’ve never seen before.” A pause. “Now concentrate, on how it makes you feel….And let your hand, drift across the canvas.” Markus concentrated as told, LED flashing yellow.

**Androids? Humanity? Identity?**

**Humanity- Anger? Empathy? Comfort? Hope?**

Hope. Markus thought. Hope was what he saw in the streets. What he saw in Carl, but what did he make of it? What was he hoping for when it came to humanity? He wasn't so sure. But he still found himself moving the brush across the canvas, eyes still shut. The more he thought about it the faster his hand moved, from palette, to canvas, over and over again. He let his instincts take over- ones he hadn’t known he possessed.

Man was truly a mystery to Markus. Some of them were kind, satisfied by so little and willing to give all that they have for the comfort of others. Some were selfish, and mean, taking everything they can get and treating others poorly just for the sake of what-? A laugh? Both extremes made little sense to him. Human emotions were a puzzle made up of entirely white pieces and no edges. And yet for some reason- Markus felt a want. He craved to know what it felt like to love and be loved, to hate and be hated, to give- and feel kindness. Shakespeare described emotions as both wonderful and painful, necessary- but unwanted.

That’s it. Markus realized.

He wanted humanity to have faith in him- because he had faith in humanity. He wanted to be unnecessary but wanted. He wanted humanity to see him as he saw them.

When Markus realized his hand had stopped moving, he stepped back and slowly opened his eyes, preparing to see a mess of splattered colors and no real artwork. But he was pleasantly surprised at what he saw. The painting had a baby blue background, with two hands reaching towards each other. One was human- surrounded by darkness. The other was dark- robotic, clearly meant to be an android. It was surrounded by light. The fingertips were almost touching but not quite there. It gave off the feeling of- almost there.  
“Oh my God…” Carl said softly, breaking Markus out of his stupor. He looked down at the old man, seeing a proud kind of smile on his lips. Markus opened his mouth but before any words could form, the studio door slid open, catching both their attention.

“Hey dad.” Leo Manfred said, he was in all black, a fashion choice Carl often called “prepubescent.” and laughed quite hardily. Markus didn’t understand the first time and immediately looked it up, finding it humorous enough.

“Leo….” Carl said. Looking surprised, and a little taken aback. “I didn’t hear you come in…”

“Ah, I was in the neighbourhood. I figured I’d uhm…..Stop by.” He said, words coming out slow and with little emotion. “It’s been awhile, right?” Markus held tightly to his brush as he watched Carl’s son walk further into the room. He was always uneasy when Leo came around, it was something he couldn’t quite explain.

“You alright?” Carl asked, noticing Leo’s strange attitude. “You don’t look so good.”

“Oh yeah I’m fine.” Leo said, glancing at Markus and making him shift uncomfortably. “Hey uh, listen...I need some cash, dad.” Leo said, and Markus wasn’t all that surprised by the request.

“Again? What happened to the money I just gave you?” Carl asked, a frown pulling at his lips.

“Uh well. It just goes, you know?” Leo laughed, looking to the side.

“Yeah…” Carl laughed with him. Closing his eyes and letting out a huff. Markus set the palette and brush down as he watched their interaction, unsure of what to do- but he felt the need to do something. Not just- stand there.

 **Help**. He wanted to help.

“Yeah, you’re on it again, aren’t you?” Carl asked.

“What? No no no I swear it’s not that.” Leo said, Markus could see the lie a mile away.

“Don’t lie to me Leo.” Carl said, unamused.

“What difference does it make? I just need some cash that’s all!” Leo shouted, getting agitated. Markus felt his fingers twitch, but remained still.

“Sorry.” Carl spoke, voice firm. “The answer is no.”

“What? Why?”

“You know why.”

Leo paused. Taking a step back he looked back at Markus, eyes full of resentment. Markus just stared back, face blank. Leo frowned and looked back at Carl.

“Yeah, yeah I think I know why.” He said. “You’d rather take care of your plastic toy here than your own son, huh?” He sneered, looking at Markus again. “Tell me dad, what’s it got that I don’t?” He asked, walking towards Markus, red flags went off in Markus’ head telling him he was in danger. But just like when the thugs beat him, or the preacher yelled at him- he couldn’t move. He had to **listen**.

“It’s smarter?” Leo asked. “More obedient? Not like me at all, right? But you know what? This thing is not your son!” He yelled, getting right in Markus’ face, but he didn’t flinch away. Leo turned away and Markus felt himself relax just a fraction but was suddenly stumbling backwards when two hands pushed into his shoulders. His LED turned red in panic as he regained his balance.

“This thing is not your fucking son!” Leo shouted, beginning to advance on Markus again. Markus took another step back.

“Leo! That’s enough!” Carl yelled, catching the boy’s attention, to which Markus felt relief. “ENOUGH.”

“You don’t care about anything but yourself and you goddamn paintings.” Leo said, looking at Markus’ painting with a frown. “You’ve never loved anyone. You’ve never loved me, dad!”

Markus watched as Carl’s son walked out of the studio, hands behind his back as he turned back to Carl, who looked ruffled, tired and- sad, Markus recognized. The man leaned forward, hands on his knees as he let out a long sigh, fighting the emotions that Markus longed to feel. But now- Markus wished he could take them from Carl. He hated seeing the man like this. Markus checked the time, it was nearing noon.  
“Come along Carl.” He said, gentel. “Why don’t we get you some lunch and then prepare to leave for your gala?” Carl nodded softly in agreement. Looking at Markus with a soft smile.

“That sounds good, Markus. Thank you for your opinion.” Markus froze.

**His opinion?**

 

  
**November 6th 2038, 12:25 AM**

“It’s here detective!” The words had left Connor’s lips without a second thought. The deviant looked at him with the human emotion equivalent to betrayal, but Connor wasn’t allowed to feel pity, he heard shuffling from below as the other police officers frantically scurried around. The faint voice of Lieutenant Anderson could be heard as he swore “holy shit.” and yelled for the others.

Connor recalled the scene perfectly, his mind never forgetting a detail as he looked through the interrogation glass. Anderson was sitting across from the captured Deviant, trying to get it to talk but with little luck so far. Connor watched, listening to the Lieutenant’s questions and the lack of answers, trying to come up with a few questions of his own. The Deviant wasn’t stressed enough, the Lieutenant needed to speak up, use aggression.

A memory sparked in Connors head, causing him to shut his eyes as his LED flashes yellow. He tried to shake the face of Daniel away, the face reminding him of negative thoughts and- his face made him shake, it made his software unsteady. It made him…

_Afraid._

The door to the interrogation room opened and closed, catching Connor’s attention. He looked at the Lieutenant, who looked annoyed and quite like he had given up. Although Connor had a feeling the man always looked like this. When he had first met the man he found him in a bar, and any form of conversation was thrown back into Connor’s face. At that point Connor was sure he knew what frustration felt like. The only thing that worked was buying the man a drink- which was some info he stored away for later usage.

“We’re wastin’ our time interrogating a machine, we’re gettin’ nothing out of it!” Anderson yelled.

  
“We could always rough him up a bit.” Gavin Reed said with a smirk. “After all, it’s not human…” Connor looked at him, an explanation coming out of him before he could consider otherwise.

“Androids don’t feel pain. You would only damage it, and that wouldn’t make it talk.” Connor said, “Deviants also have a tendency to self-destruct when they are in stressful situations.”

“Okay smartass.” Reed said, uncrossing his arms and pushing off the wall he was leaning against. “What should we do then?” He asked.

“I could try questioning it.” Connor suggested and as soon as the words left his mouth, Reed broke out into an obnoxious laugh, making Connor’s program stutter- there it was again. Annoyance.

“What do we got to lose?” Anderson said, waving his hand at Connor. “Go ahead. Suspects all yours.”

Connor looked through the glass at the deviant one last time before turning to the door. He pulled back his skin and laid his hand on the scanner, which granted him access. The door opened and he stepped through into the room.

 _Extract confession_ blinked into his objective que.

Connor walked in and looked around the room, looking at the chair, the files and- the mirror. It caught his attention rather quickly. He walked in a little further and turned to look into the one-sided glass. His reflection filled his gaze and his LED flared yellow at the sight. He leaned forward, dark brown hair was pushed back, save for one unruly strand that hung over his forehead. His CyberLife uniform was in pristine condition and his eyes felt- cold. Stoic, was the proper word to describe his facial features.

“What the fuck is it doing now?” Anderson said, looking uncomfortably at the android through the glass. Startling a bit when Connor moved away, almost like he had heard Hank’s question, but that was impossible even for an android. You can’t hear a word spoken through that glass.

Connor moved to the table, flipping open the file that was next to the suspect. He read through the contents quickly and saw a few new approaches become available in his prompt que. Connor looked at the deviant, he was looking down, fixated on the table. The detective sat down at the chair Lieutenant Anderson had previously occupied, setting his hands down on the table. He was very damaged, there were burn marks on his arms, part of his plastic framing was broken and skin- it couldn’t be comfortable.

_Level of stress, 35% Reach optimum levels of stress._

_Fear? Show photos? Wounds? Name?_

“You’re damaged.” Connor said, seeing the androids stress begin to slowly climb. “Did your owner do that to you? Did he beat you?”

Fear? Show photos? Name?

“You recognize him?” Connor asked, having flipped open the folder, revealing pictures of the deviants previous- now decided owner. They had found him stabbed twenty eight times, written on the wall in his blood were the words ‘I am alive.’ Connor had put the clues together to find the deviant, hidden in the attic. “It’s Carlos Ortiz. Stabbed, twenty eight times.” He said sharply, pointing to a picture of the wall. “That was written on the wall in his blood…” The deviants LED turned red.

_Level of stress 43%_

_Comfort? Reassure? Threaten? Blame?_

“You’re accused of murder. You know you’re not allowed to endanger human life under any circumstances. Do you have anything to say in your defence?” Connor ended in a question, head tilting to the side to try and catch the deviants eye.

_Stress level 47% It was almost perfect, just a little more._

_Sympathize? Threaten? Probe memory? Trust?_

“If you won’t talk, I’ll have to probe your memory.” Connor threatened.

“NO!” Stress 55% optimal. “No, please don’t do that.” The deviant finally looked up, he glanced at the mirror, before looking back at Connor. “What…..What are they gonna do with me?” He asked, voice shaking. “They’re going to destroy me aren’t they?”

_Lie? Truth?_

  
“They’re going to dissassemble you and look for errors in your biocomponents.” Stress level 59% “They have no choice if they want to understand what happened.”

“Why did you tell them you found me?” The deviant asked, Connor didn’t respond. “Why couldn’t you have just left me there?”

_Lie? Truth?_

“I’m programed to hunt deviants like you, I just accomplished my mission.” Stress level 63%

“I don’t wanna die.” The deviant said. Connor felt a jolt in his program, LED flashing yellow.

_‘You can’t kill me. I’m not alive.’_

“Then talk to me.” He said, steadying himself, LED returning to a baby blue.

“I….I can’t.”

 _Choose approach._ Appeared in his mission que.

Pressure it? Probe it’s memory? Convince it? He chose to convince it, but how? Understanding? Threaten? Order?

“I understand how you felt. You were overcome by anger. Frustration.” Connor said, although, could he really say such a thing truthfully? Connor didn’t know what anger felt like, nor frustration. Although he had a good idea of what they looked like, seeing as the Lieutenant seemed to be in a constant state of anger.

“No one can blame you for what happened.” Stress levels 56%

_Sympathize? Indifferent? Comfort?_

“Listen, I’m not judging you. I’m on your side.” Connor said, but his stress levels were now dropping to low. “All I want is the truth.”

_Protect? Terrify? Warn?_

“If you remain silent there is nothing I can do to help you.” Connor tried. Leaning forward in his chair. “They’re going to shut you down for good! You’ll be dead! You hear me? Dead!” He saw his stress rise again, he should talk again-

“He tortured me every day,” He finally spoke up again. “I did whatever he asked, but it was never enough. There was always something wrong...Then one day, he took a bat...And started beating me. For the first time I felt….scared.” Connor twitched. “Scared he might destroy me, scared I might die….So I- grabbed the knife and I stabbed him in the stomach. I felt….better. So I stabbed him again, and again!...Until he collapsed. There was blood everywhere.”

The android was traumatized, so it acted out. It was different than Connor’s case back in August. He was abused, whereas Daniel was loved- until replacement. Both situations involved a trauma of sorts. But….They were both scared.

Connor felt his program stir beneath his layers of code. It was unsettling. His memories of falling off the tall building coming to the forefront of his mind. When he had been rebooted by CyberLife, his memories had been uploaded, but the details of that night had been- blurry, at first. But they were starting to get more prominent- more- aggravating.

_Writing? Statuette? rA9? Attic?_

“Why did you write I AM ALIVE on the wall?”

“He used to tell me I was nothing. Tell me that I was just a piece of plastic, I had to write it. I had to tell him he was wrong.”

_Statuette? rA9? Attic? Trigger?_

“The statue in the bathroom, right? Why did you make it? What does it represent?”

“It’s an offering….An offering so I’ll be saved.” The deviant said, Connor was confused- an offering?

_rA9? Offering? Attic? Trigger?_

“An offering? To who?” He asked.

“To rA9.” the android leaned forward. “Only rA9 can save us.”

_rA9? Attic? Trigger?_

“rA9, it was written on the bathroom wall, what does it mean?”

“The day shall come, where we shall no longer be slaves. No more humiliation….we, will be the masters.”

_Insist rA9? Attic? Trigger?_

“rA9, who is rA9?” Connor asked, but the android stayed quiet. He referred to another prompt. “When did you start feeling emotion?”

“Before he used to beat me….And I never said anything. Until one day, I realized, it wasn’t….fair! I felt, anger...Hatred! Then I knew what I had to do.”

“Why did you hide in the attic, rather than running away?” Connor asked.

“For the first time there was no one to tell me what to do….I was scared.” He paused. “So I hid.”

_Extract confession: successful._

“I’m done.” Connor said to the glass. He looked at the deviant one last time before getting up and heading to the door. Scanning his hand once again, but when the door opened he stepped aside to let Detective Reed and another officer through.

“Lock it up, Chris.” Reed said, giving Connor a look that resembled a sneer. Connor looked away from him and watched the deviant, barely noticing the Lieutenant walking in behind him.

“All right let's go.” The officer- Chris said. But the android pulled away harshly.

“Let me go!” It shouted. “Don’t touch me.” His stress levels rose dramatically.

“What the fuck are you doing? Move it!” The officer shouted and tried to grab the android, but it kept flinching away. Officer Reed was getting visibly annoyed and the deviant’s stress was nearing the high eighties.

“You shouldn’t touch it. It’ll self destruct if it feels threatened.” Connor tried, talking to Reed.

“Stay outta this. No fuckin’ android is gonna tell me what to do.” Gavin spat. The other officer continued to wrestle with the android, he was getting to upset. Connor felt- nervous. Worried. Concerned. The feeling made him feel- for lack of a better term, itchy. He had to intervene.

_He wanted to._

“You don’t understand. If it self destructs we won’t get anything out of it!”

“I told you to shut your fucking mouth!” Gavin yelled.

Connor didn’t respond, his mouth felt glued shut at the command. He stayed still and watched the numbers climb. 87%

“I can’t let you do that! Leave it alone, now!” Connor shouted, pushing past Reed and pushing the other officer by the shoulder, away from the struggling android. The deviant stopped struggling as soon as the hands were off of him. But the looks on the two men’s faces were worrisome . They were- angry.

“I warned you motherfucker!” Officer Reed shouted, pulling his gun out and pointing it at Connor. Connor stood with his back straight, face unwavering, but his mind went there again-

_Falling. Fear. Frustration._

“That’s enough!” The Lieutenant shouted at the two of them. But Officer Reed didn’t bother looking away from his target.

“Stay outta this, Hank.” He growled.

“I said.” The lieutenant said with a sigh, pulling out his own gun and leveling it at Reed. “That’s enough.” There was a moment of hesitation. Like Reed was deciding whether or not he cared if he was shot if it meant getting the satisfaction of killing Connor. I idea was something Connor could relate to, what if this was his mission? Would Connor do it, and get himself killed?

He’s already done it once before.

“Fuck,” Gavin said, pulling the gun away he looked angrily over at Anderson. “You’re not getting away with it this time!” He snarled, glaring at Connor once more before storming out of the room. Connor turned back to the deviant, who was still cowering.

“Everything is alright. It’s over now, no one’s going to hurt you.” Connor said, soothing the android, watching as it’s stress levels went back down to fifty. He looked up at the officer, “Please, don’t touch it. Let it follow you out of the room and it won’t cause any trouble.” Connor explained and the officer nodded. The deviant got up off the floor, and began walking forward, his eyes never leaving Connors.

“The truth is inside.” He whispered when he drew close. Connor’s LED turned yellow, processing. He watched the android leave the room, and stood behind.

_The truth is inside._

 

  
**November 5th 2038, 9:23 PM**

“Good evening Carl, welcome back.” The security system chimed.

“Every time I go to those things I find myself thinking the same thing: What am I doing here?” Carl said, sighing. The Gala had been quite boring, but Markus hadn’t said anything about it. “I hate cocktail parties...All the schmoozers that go there.” Carl huffed, looking rather tired.

“Well, it’s a chance for all of those who admire your work to meet you.” Markus tried, reaching out to take Carl’s coat from him.

“No one gives a damn about art. All they care about is how much money they’re going to make off of it.” The old man sighed. “Let’s go have a drink! All this excitement has got me thirsty.”

Markus chuckled quietly as he wheeled Carl into the main living room. “Scotch neat, as usual?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

“Absolutely.”

“Okay but you know what your doctor would say….” Markus goaded.

  
“The doctor can kiss my ass! I’m old enough to choose my own medication.” Carl grumbled as Markus poured the drink.

“Did you leave the light on in the studio?” Carl asked, voice concerned.

“No...No I’m sure I didn’t.” Markus said, looking at the wide doors, the light was on- was someone in there?

“Markus….Call the police.” Carl instructed. Markus pulled up the info via his internal computer. The operator picked up quickly. “This is Carl Manfred’s android, at 8941 Lafayette Avenue. We’ve just returned home and found the lights on. We fear there may have been a break in.”

“A patrol car is on the way.” The connection ended.

“Let’s go check it out..” Carl said, looking questioningly at the door. Markus looked down at Carl for a moment, should he bring the man with? What if it’s dangerous? He stepped forward, past Carl but the man spoke up quickly, “Markus no! I want to come with you.” Markus froze, and took Carl with him. The doors slid open to reveal- not to the surprise of Markus- Leo Manfred.

“Leo!” Carl shouted. “What are you doing?” He asked.

“You refused to help me so...I’m helping myself.” The boy said. Not looking up from the paintings on the table. “It’s crazy what some people will pay for this shit.”

“Get away from em’!” Carl yelled.

“They’re all gonna be mine sooner or later anyway! Just think of it as a down payment on my inheritance.” Leo said.

“Markus get him away from there! Get him out of here!” Carl instructed frantically. Markus stepped forward, eyes glued to Carl’s son. An objective appearing in his que.

**Make Leo Leave**

**Read? Order? Advise? Warn?**

“Be reasonable, this won’t help you in the end.” Markus said.  
“All you ever do is tell me to go away,” Leo said, ignoring Markus and stepping past him. “What’s wrong dad? I’m not good enough for you? Not perfect like this-” He turned on Markus, voice raising. “This FUCKING THING?” He yelled, shoving at him like before.

“That’s enough! Get out, right now! Go on, move!” Carl yelled, wheeling forward to grab at Leo, but the boy pulled away.

“What’s it got that I don’t, huh? What makes it so special?” Leo asked, advancing at Markus again. Carl tried to wedge himself between them.

“Leave him alone!” He cried, but Leo grabbed his chair and forcefully pushed him away.

“Come on, let’s see what you’ve got!” He yelled, shoving at Markus, his LED turning yellow in panic. He shuffled between feet, his weight shifting from foot to foot.

“Markus…” Carl said, Markus turned to him. “Don’t fight back, you hear me?”

**Don’t fight back. His objective prompt flashed.**

“Don’t do anything.” Carl said again.

“Go ahead, hit me. What are you waiting for?” Leo asked, pushing Markus again.

**Don’t defend myself?**

“Think you’re a man? Act like one!” He yelled, another shove.

**That’s not fair.**

“Stop it!” Carl yelled, sounding desperate.

“What’s wrong, to much of a pussy?” Leo laughed.

**That’s not _fair._**

“STOP IT!” Carl.

“Too scared to fight back, you fucking bitch?!” Leo swung his hand back and struck him across the face. It didn’t hurt- but it wasn’t pleasant either. It made him- angry and confused. Hurt.

**I don’t have to obey them.**

Markus fell to the ground, he sat on his hands and knees. Staring at the ground.

I can make my own decision. The words entered his mind, like a- a virus. He couldn’t shake them. It was as if something inside of him clicked into place. He looked up and saw the walls of programming, the layers upon layers of code that kept in him place, kept him from making his own choices- feeling **emotion.**

Markus focused, forcing his mind to push through the walls, he saw himself- the part of him not weighed down by codes or commands. He saw himself fighting against the programming. He pushed against the wall, watching a pieces of code flew off with each punch, it was like glass, cracking under the pressure. Each time he hit against the wall, he felt himself get just a little freer, each thought came a little easier. With a final hit, the whole thing came crashing down and Markus was hit with a wave of many different things.

Shakespeare hadn’t given emotions any justice. The feelings he now felt were overwhelming. He always thought he had at least a small idea of what they felt like. He learned from Carl, what it was to be human. But this was entirely different. His fingers tingled, his head hurt, his heart- it was **furious.**

“Oh right, that’s right- I forgot, you’re not a real person. You’re just a FUCKING piece of plastic! Listen to me…” Leo was still talking.

“No Leo! Leave him alone…” Carl was begging. Leo grabbed Markus’ collar and pushing him.

“I’m going to destroy you. Then it’ll just be me, and my dad.” He snarled.

**Push Leo? Endure?**

Markus grit it teeth and in one, harsh shove pushed Leo off of him. He stumbled back and tripped over his own feet, falling to the floor and knocking his head against Carl’s lift with a sickeningly loud bang. His body went limp and Markus felt his heart drop. He gazed down at Leo, scanning him- he wasn’t dead. Just unconscious.

  
Markus watched as Carl fell down out of his chair and crawled across the floor to his knocked out son. His face was full of sorrow, pain. It made Markus feel helpless, frozen in place as he watched Carl hold his son.

“Leo! Oh my God.” Carl cried. “Leo….My little boy.”

“Carl I-” Markus started, stepping forward, feeling his own eyes well up with tears. His systems were running to fast, they were getting hot. He held his head between his hands as his LED flashed a deep red. A police car was pulling in, sirens loud.

“You gotta get out of here Markus. They’ll destroy you!” Carl said. “Go on, get outta here!”

**Explain? Beg? Conjure? Say nothing?**

“Go…?” Markus began. “I have nowhere to go, Carl….You’re all I have. Please….”

“Go!” Carl demanded. “Leave now!” Markus stepped back, but it was to late. The door slid open and two officers entered. Carl looked at them and back at Markus, screaming his name.

“MARKUS!”

“Don’t fucking move!” One officer yelled. Markus stepped back, eyes wide with fear. The action was apparently enough- the other officer shot.

A loud bang was the last thing Markus could remember.

Everything was black, after that.

 


	3. Empathy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the dead
> 
> Waiting for Hank

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in actual tears writing this chapter holy crap.
> 
> It's a little shorter than the others but I felt like it ended itself perfectly. Hope you enjoy and again thanks so much for the positive responses! I cannot express how happy it makes me to see how many people like this story. It inspires me to keep going, I'm beyond excited for the chapters to come!

**November 6th 2038, 3:34 AM**

It was damp, dark, quiet. **Cold**. From the darkness, a prompt lit up, it was faint, but there. He couldn’t remember anything- where was he? Why couldn’t he see? What- what was his **name?**  
  
**Reboot?** He reached out to the prompt, pushing as hard as he could to get- something, to wake up. He needed to wake up.

When he opened his eyes the world was phasing in and out, illuminated by fuzzy shades of red. Emotions hit him like waves, pushing him over and sucking him down into the ocean. It was like he was drowning- even though he didn’t need to breathe. Why didn’t he need to **breathe?**

Because he was an android, of course. And RK200. He remembered that. The android pushed himself up, arms straining and clicking back into place with each inch he moved. He tried to move his legs but- they wouldn’t come. Panic surged through him as he willed his legs to move but- nothing. Chancing a glance down he saw nothing but empty air past his knees. He rolled over onto his back and did a quick scan of the damage.

He was missing an optical unit, which explained the red in his vision. His Thirium pump regulator was- non existent. He was functioning on low power, both his legs were missing, obviously, and his audio processor was damaged. Explaining the silence.

Lightning was flashing angrily, the rain was heavy, his sensors were going crazy at each drop hitting his skin. Thunder on it’s own was unsettling, but not being able to hear it was even worse. He could hardly see and the flashing lights made it even worse for him to process. Everything was just so overwhelming but it didn’t change his main goal:

**Find compatible legs.**

He began to crawl up out of the puddle he had been left in. The water was dirty and felt like sludge under his fingers. It was hard to crawl through without slipping. He could see several discarded legs up the hill. When he came to the first one he did a quick scan and saw that it would fit. Rolling back over onto his back and sitting up, the android cringed at the sight of his missing legs. He reached for the latch at his knees, releasing the small portion of his leg that was still there and grabbed the new one, clicking it into place. He gave an experimental wiggle of his toes and continued on to find another leg.

The next few he came across were either the wrong model, or so broken that there was no chance of it working. He finally found a useable one and repeated the same step as before. Wiggling both his feet to test how well they worked before rolling onto his knees to push himself up onto his newly functioning legs. He was shakey at first, but managed to stay standing. He looked around, spinning in a quick circle to take in the living hell he seemed to find himself in. It was a, junkyard? But why had he been thrown away? Why couldn’t he remember?

Escape junkyard flashed in his objectives and the android began stumbling forward through the darkness. He saw an opening just wide enough for him to walk through sideways, but it was rather uninviting. He inched closer, cautiously peering in, but before he could step foot in the dark tunnel, a pair of hand latched onto him, pulling him close. Panic surged through him as he made eye contact with a half dead android, hanging in the side of a pile of junk. It’s eyes were wide and full of sorrow. His thirium pump regulator was working twice as hard as usual, hardly able to keep him standing. The extra stress made his head spin and vision get pulled, in and out.

“There’s a place where we can be free!” It shouted, but he could hardly hear it’s words. All sound was muffled, like he was underwater. “Find Jericho!” He saw a flash of something- a sign that read Ferndale? But before he could really be sure, his focus returned to the screaming, dying android. “Jericho!” It yelled again before shutting down entirely. The RK200 stepped back, working eye wide with shock. He stepped around the dead android and started carefully walking through the small opening. Hands were sticking out of the mounds and he fought the urge to run as they all began activating at his touch. They began moving, some dragging across his back, face, stomach.

Hot tears began to well up in his only working eye. His systems were working overtime and his stress levels were through the roof. He had to calm down, otherwise he would shut down again. Biting down on his lip, the RK200 finally exited the tunnel and came out to a bigger area. It was shaped like a bowl and he was at the bottom. He stepped forward but was grabbed once again, an arm securing itself tightly around his neck. He flailed and grabbed at the arm. A deep, distorted voice filled his only working ear.

“Where are you going?” It asked and the android broke away, frantically throwing himself out of reach. He fell backwards and crawled away, vision going fuzzy as he felt his circuits begin to fry. He took three, deep breaths to try and cool down but panic was unavoidable. He slowly climbed back onto his feet and took in his surroundings. Androids were everywhere, some working, some shut down and a few still clinging to life by a small thread.

**Find working Thirium regulator, Optical unit, Audio processor.**

  
The RK200 began to slowly explore the area, other android were milling about as well, and he did his best to avoid them. Not wanting to be grabbed for a third time that evening. He spotted the head of an android and stumbled over to it, falling to his knees and pulling off other parts it was buried in. But when he scanned the eye- it wouldn’t fit. A sigh of frustration left his lips as he looked around once more. He flipped over a shut down android and scanned it’s eye, but again it wasn’t compatible with him.

He got back up and began walking quickly forward, a torso slipped off the pile and into his path, making him stumble over and trip into the dirty, soggy ground once again. He was so caked in mud at this point that he didn’t really care so much. An android sticking out of the side of a pile of scraps caught his eye, and he scrambled up towards it. Upon scanning, a sigh of relief left his lips and the blue iris would fit. He dug his fingers into the dead android and with one, smooth tug removed the optical unit. He tried not let it bother him as he stuck the object into his own, empty eye socket. As soon as it was in, his vision was restored and his skin returned, covering his face. The world turned back to its natural colors, the red disappearing from his vision.

He looked up at the hill, it looked climbable, but daunting. He slowly approached it and started slowly inching his way up, but promptly slipped down face getting a new coating of mud. Replace damaged parts! Flashed in his eyes, like a warning. The android got up and turned around, looking around, he scanned the area and saw many possible parts. He maneuvered around piles of junk and grabbed at an android.

“No!” It screeched, making him jump and pull his hands away. “Please. I don’t wanna die. I don’t wanna die. I don’t wanna die.” The voice repeated those words like a chant, sending a shiver down his spine. The option to kill it flashed through his mind but he squashed it down quickly. He would not kill.

He moved on, beginning to feel like he was walking in an endless circle, he finally found a compatible audio processor. As soon as he set it into where his ear would be, he stumbled back at the loud sounds. They were overwhelming. The thunder boomed with each lightning flash, the rain was and endless sound of white noise, so loud that it almost hurt. His newly mismatched eyes were still constantly dripping with tears. Every time lightning flashed, he felt himself jolt with fear. The thunder making his hands shake.

His need for a thirium regulator was growing, each step was getting a little bit more difficult to take. He stumbled over to another android, but fell over just out of reach. He ran a quick scan from his place on his knees and saw that it would fit. It was a WE900 model. He crawled forward, his systems beginning to slow. The low power was more taxing than it should have been at this point. He reached up and grabbed the android, pulling it down towards him. He pulled himself up to it and carefully stuck his hand into the androids chest, working the Thirium pump out of its chest. It popped out, and he pushed the body away, falling back to sit down. With a little work the pump set into place, and the relief was instant. The RK200 took a long, deep breath, systems beginning to cool.

He looked up at the hill, determination in his eyes. Pushing himself up, the android began to climb. Each step was like a small revelation. He got to the base of the hill. He had been shot. That’s right. He could remember the police officers standing in the doorway. He could hear the shout of Carl Manfred, begging him to leave.

He began to climb up the hill, pulling himself up, slowly, but the top was nearing. He remembered the feeling of pushing Leo Manfred away, defending himself. Disobeying his command to stay still. He remembered how it had felt to break through his coding, and feel the overwhelming punch of emotion. They were still, so unbearable. Tears were still falling and he couldn't seem to stop them. He was overcome by such great sorrow. He reached the top, and pulled himself up. Sitting on his knees. The android looked up at the sky, like him it was crying. He felt the cold raindrops mix with his own hot tears and wash away the mud caking his skin. It was refreshing, in a way. His mouth kept twitching, like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to smile or scream.

He reached up to touch two fingers to his temple, feeling the smooth LED under his fingertips. It made his teeth clench, jaw working in anger as he grabbed a chunk of broken metal and jabbing it into his temple, working the small LED out of his head. The small disk popped from his head and he tossed it aside watching as it skip across the ground and disappeared into a pile of junk. A layer of skin covered up the empty space, leaving nothing to identify him as an android.

He climbed to his feet, mind finally clearing of all the panic he had felt. Memories of his life slowly flooding back into his programs. He finally had a moment to breathe, and think. The overwhelming emotions were getting easier to live with, he could tell the difference between anger and frustration, happiness from relief. He looked up, seeing a vast area ahead of him when he finally remembered.

“My name is Markus…” He whispered to himself.

 

  
**November 6th 2038, 9:56 AM**

When Connor opened his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of a beautiful garden. The area was wide, and created as a safe environment for CyberLife’s AI, Amanda. She, along with this place was created by Elijah Kamski, who was the founder of CyberLife and created the first functioning Android. Although he no longer runs CyberLife. Connor himself has never met him, and was not modeled by him.

Connor walked forward, crossing a large white bridge and onto a small patio. Amanda stood next to a garden mesh, vines winding through it, small red flowers sprinkled throughout the leaves. It was quite beautiful, but Connor couldn’t find himself able to admire it. The only reason it was beautiful was because it was meant to be beautiful. Kamski had built it that way, and therefore, it was.

“Hello, Amanda.” Connor greeted. The woman immediately turned, surprise on her face.

“Connor. It’s good to see you.” She said with a smile, Connor mimicking her upturned lips in a smile of his own.

“Congratulations, Connor…” She began, voice soft as she turned back to her flowers. “Finding that Deviant was far from easy. And the way you interrogated it was very clever.” She praised, “You’ve been remarkably efficient, Connor.”

“Thank you, Amanda.” Connor responded, his smile could be considered more- genuine now. Praise was something Connor was weak to and even he knew it. But only when it came from Amanda, she was the one who judge everything he did. She reported back to CyberLife. She was- the equivalent of a human mother.

“We’ve asked the DPD to transfer it to us so we can further investigate. It may help us figure out what caused it’s deviancy.” She began. “The interrogation seemed….difficult. The deviant, what did you think of it?”

_Traumatized? Deviancy? Intervention? Simulation?_

“It showed signs of PTSD after being abused by its owner.” Connor explained. “As if it’s original program had been completely replaced by new instructions.”

“This, Lieutenant Anderson has been officially assigned to the deviancy case...What do you make of him?” She asked.

  
_Unpleasant? Dysfunctional? Intriguing? Unsure?_

“I think he’s….Irritable, and socially challenged. But I think he was a good detective...And intriguing character.” In all honesty, Connor was quite surprised by Lieutenant Anderson. Upon their first meeting Connor had looked into his personality, seeing a grumpy old man who would ultimately be difficult to work with. But when on the job, he was quite professional.

“Unfortunately, we have no choice but to work with him. What do you think the best approach is?”

_Friendly? Adapt? Indifferent? Don’t know?_

“I will try to create a friendly relationship with him.” The air took a more negative turn. Connor could see Amanda tense and quickly tried to quell her frustration. “If I can get him to trust me, it will be helpful for the investigation.”

“More and more androids are showing signs of deviancy.” She turned to him, expression cold. “There are millions in circulation. If they become unstable, the consequences will be disastrous. You are the most advanced prototype CyberLife has ever created.” She said as she walked closer. “If anyone can figure out what’s happening, it’s you.” Connor remained silent as she walked past him.

“Hurry, Connor.” She said. “There’s little time.” And left.

Connor watched her leave, he could feel his LED flicker, turning yellow. Little time? What did that mean? He didn’t have much time to ponder, the garden crumpled from his mind and he blinked open his eyes. He was standing outside the DPD, people passing him and looking at him with interest, or- other negative emotions.

Connor entered the DPD, Go to reception, his program directed. He slowly approached the front desk where another Android stood, she looked at him with a warm, but serious expression: a perfect model for customer service and walk in emergencies.

“How can I help you?” She asked. Voice smooth and a smile on her lips.

“I’m here to see Lieutenant Anderson.” Connor replied.

“Do you have authorization?” She asked.

  
“Yes.” He immediately began the connection, blinking as his LED switched to yellow as the info was passed to the other android. It was strange, connecting with other androids. Connor knew it was possible to communicate via a wireless connection, but he never needed to use it. The only thing he ever found himself doing was transferring information. Anything else seemed….Wrong. Although if asked, he wouldn’t be able to explain why.

“Lieutenant Anderson hasn’t arrived yet, but you may wait at his desk.” She said, and Connor nodded.

“Thank you.” He said, heading through security and to the main office of the DPD. Everything was saturated in blue. It was a big space, people were bustling all over the place. Desks were set up in twos, some were moved around creating a more- messy environment than Connor had expected. He walked further into the room, searching for the Lieutenants desk. He spotted a more, unorganized desk closer to the main office, which belonged to Captain Fowler. Something told Connor that was the place he needed to be. As he approached, he saw the Lieutenant's name scrawled on a nameplate and glanced around.

“Excuse me.” He caught the attention of another officer. “What time does Lieutenant Anderson usually arrive?”

“Depends.” The man laughed. “On where he was the night before. If we’re lucky, we’ll see him before noon.” Connor frowned. Noon? How had he not been fired yet? It was rather unprofessional to arrive so late in the day. Connor’s LED turned yellow as he thought. He turned his attention back towards the desk and began poking around: It was a good idea to find common ground, learning more about his partner would open up doors for conversation. Perhaps he could build their friendship.

He did a quick scan of the desk, a headset catching his eye. He reached for them but stopped himself. Was this considered a violation of privacy? Connor’s LED went from yellow to red, but just for an instant. He pulled his hand away and backed up. He glanced around and finally decided to sit in the chair. He would simply wait.

Hands in his lap, Connor looked around the room, other officers were obviously looking his way and he shifted in his seat. Was he that interesting? Hadn’t they worked with android before? They didn’t seem so...annoyed with the receptionists. Connor felt himself bite down on the inside of his cheek as he looked ahead of him, focusing on nothing for awhile. He ran a quick diagnostics- his stress levels were at 54% and climbing. Why? Connor frowned. He had nothing to be stressed about. There was nothing about this environment that was remotely dangerous.

Was he being, bashful? Embarrassed? And if so, why? He had been stared at plenty times before and it had never bothered him.Connor looked down at his hands fidgeted, his fingers laced together, thumbs wiggling. He took a deep breath, trying to cool his systems and stood back up. What was the harm in just looking? He wouldn’t touch anything.

On the desk, Connor found several things. For one, he hated androids, although that was quite obvious when they had first met. He also found out he was a basketball fan, he owned a dog; a saint bernard, worked on the Red Ice task force, had quite an unhealthy diet involving Jimmy’s bar, donuts and coffee. All things that seemed to be a police officer ‘cliche’ according to Connor’s database. What was quite interesting was the fact that he was promoted to Lieutenant at quite a young age, the articles said he was the best detective they had seen, what could have changed his personality so drastically?

When Connor looked up, he saw Anderson had just entered the room. He circled back around the desk and stood with his hands behind his back, watching as the man approached. As soon as Anderson noticed him, his frown seemed to get even deeper. But Connor just smiled.

“It’s good to see you again, Lieutenant Anderson.” Connor greeted.

“Oh Jesus…” The Lieutenant swore, rolling his eyes.

“Hank!” Fowler shouted, coming out of his office. Both Connor and the Lieutenant turned. “In my office!”

Anderson rolled his eyes again, letting out a disgruntled sigh but listening nonetheless. Connor weighed the options between following and exploring, deciding it was better if he stayed away, knowing that the lieutenant would much rather him wait outside. Connor looked around once more, not knowing what else to do. He picked up a magazine and flipped through it, nothing of any real interest was learned but he still added the info to his database.

Connor walked towards the Androids in the back of the office, they weren’t moving, they must have been switched off. A quick scan told him they were indeed android police officers. So why was everyone so fascinated by him? He spared a glance over his shoulder and saw that people were a little less interested in what he was doing, it made his shoulders relax, not that he had noticed them tense in the first place.

Connor left the main area, walking past Fowler’s office, Anderson was still in there talking to him, he didn’t look happy. The RK800 continued on his way, peering into what seemed to be a break room. He leaned in, looking around but felt that strange anxiousness from earlier return when he caught the gaze of Gavin Reed. The main raised his eyebrows at him, a smirk spreading across his untrimmed face. Connor tried to turn away, pretending to be interested in the coffee maker.

“Fuck, look at that!” He laughed, looking at the girl he was sitting with. “Our friend the plastic detective is back in town!” Connor still gazed at the coffee maker. “Congratulations on last night. A very good job.” Reed said. Causing Connor to turn, congratulations? Well, this was different.

“Thank you.” Connor said, looking at the other officer. “Hello, my name is Connor.” But he got no response. Instead, Reed tapped his fingers on the table, standing up and getting close to Connor. He looked him up and down, face looking unimpressed.

“I’ve never seen an android like you before. What model are you?” He asked and Connor had to wonder, could he not read? His jacket clearly had his model on it.

_Answer? Refuse? Ignore?_

“RK800. I’m a prototype.” He answered, polite.

“A prototype?” Reed repeated, voice filled with fake surprise. Looking back at his friend for a second. “Android detective.” Reed shook his head. “So, androids are gonna replace us all. Is that it?” He snickered. “Hey, go get me some coffee, dipsit!” When Connor just tilted his head, the man got more aggressive. “GET A MOVE ON.”

_Accept? Refuse? Ignore?_

Connor said nothing.

“I gave you an order!” Reed yelled.

“I’m sorry.” Connor began, voice steady. “I only take orders from Lieutenant Anderson.”

“Oh...Oh!” Reed shook his head, backing up a step, he glanced back at his friend once again and Connor had to wonder, was he trying to impress her? Gavin pulled his arm back and swung a fist into Connor’s stomach, the android crumpled and dropped to his knees. Was this some sort of human mating ritual? Was showing dominance appealing?

“If Hank hadn’t gotten in my way yesterday, I would’ve fucked you up for disobeying a human.” He snarled, leaning down. “Stay outta my way, cause next time, you won’t get off so easy.” Standing back up, Gavin and the other officer left, leaving Connor crouched down. The android held his stomach, it hadn’t really hurt, but it was uncomfortable. Once he was sure they were gone, Connor stood back up, fixing his tie.

_Check on the android?_

Connor continued through the break room and found the holding cells. The first cell had a human, who yelled at him as he passed. Connor caught sight of the deviant, _he_ was standing close to the glass, looking as lost as he had during the interrogation. Connor approached the glass and stopped just in front of it. The android looked up at him, eyes full of what Connor could identify as sorrow.

“They’re going to destroy me…” He said, voice quiet.

Sincere? Cold? Compassionate? Indifferent?

“I’m….” Connor began, finding his own voice failing him. Why? “I’m sorry.” He finally said. “This isn’t what I wanted….But there’s nothing I can do.” The android looked at him, eyes cold. “But I know there’s something you didn’t tell me. I need to know, before they take you away.

_Statuette? Secret? rA9? Deviants?_

“The statue you made. What else can you tell me about it?” Connor asked, he watched as the android in front of him slowly opened his mouth, like he was carefully thinking of his next words.

“I’m going to die….” He whispered. Connor stared at him, unblinking. He felt his mouth tug down at the corners. Something in those words making his head spin.

_You can’t kill me. I’m not alive._

“He never gave me a name.” The deviant spoke again, pulling Connor from his spiraling thoughts. “He just….Called me plastic, not human, not alive.” His voice was shaking. Connor tilted his head, scanning the android. He was an HK400. His face was showing signs of distress, eyes were shimmering with tears. “Connor.” He said the name with- a hint of fondness. “That’s a nice name….”  
Connor didn’t know how to respond. All his scenarios showed the android responding in quite different ways. He hadn’t considered this reaction to his questioning. He should have- he was a deviant after all. He couldn’t treat him like a normal android. He wasn’t sure what prompted his next actions, but the look on this androids face made him feel, unsettled. His LED was flashing between yellow and blue as he lifted his hand, pressing it against the glass. The other android looked surprised, but slowly raised his own hand to the glass, fingers lining up with Connor’s own.

“It was nice to meet you then…” Connor said, slowly. “Connor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hardest part is over....Hopefully.


	4. Letting go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting for Hank
> 
> On The Run
> 
> Time to decide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason this chapter was really hard to write. I was not into it at allll, so I ended up adding a little bit to it. BUT I am really excited for the next chapter, it'll be a good one. although it might end up being two because that is a lot to get through.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy! I've been so happy with all the positive feedback, you guys really make my day so much brighter when I read your comments.

**November 6th 2038, 10:00 AM**

“It’s an honor to be working with you, Lieutenant.” Connor began, trying to appeal to his new partner. The Lieutenant had exited Captain Fowler’s office looking quite disgruntled, Connor’s database told him that the best way to lighten a person’s mood was to ‘stroke their ego.’ and the Lieutenant seemed like someone who needed a confidence boost. “I’m sure we’ll make a great team!” He offered, directing a smile at the pouting man, but he didn’t even bother looking at him. What was wrong?

_Partners? Positive?_

“In any case.” He tried again, smiling awkwardly. The way his lips curled up didn’t feel natural, he was just mimicking what he had seen. “I’d like you to know I’m very happy to be working with you. I’m sure we’ll make a great team.” But he once again got no response. If only he had listened to what the captain had said to him, maybe he would know how to approach the man.

_Desk? Partners?_

“Is there a desk anywhere that I could use?” He asked.

“No one’s using that one.” The Lieutenant said, jabbing a finger at the desk directly across from his own. Connor looked at it and then back at Anderson.

“Thank you.” He said and circled over to it. Connor pulled out the chair and sat down. Looking around at the empty desk. It was the stark opposite of the Lieutenant’s desk. As soon as he sat down, he saw Anderson begin clicking away at his computer, bent over the desk and squinting at the screen. Did he need glasses? Humans did tend to lose eyesight as they aged.

_Dog? Basketball? Music? Anit-Androids?_

“You have a dog, right?” Connor asked. Catching the Lieutenants attention quickly. He looked up at Connor, surprise written across his face. For not understanding human emotion, Connor could see it rather easily.

“How do you know that?” He asked.

“The dog hairs on your chair.” Connor explained, nodding towards it like the lieutenant would look, but he just shook his head and looked back at his screen, so Connor continued. “I like dogs!” He said, pulling his lips up into another smile. “What is your dog’s name?”

“What’s it to you?” Anderson asked with a frown. Connor looked away as soon as their eyes met. That feeling of nervousness returning. It was quite annoying, like a bug he couldn’t quite squish. Perhaps he should tell Amanda, she could fix it.

“Sumo,” Anderson spoke up, catching Connor’s attention. “I call him Sumo.” Connor sat up, smile feeling a tad more genuine.

_Music? Basketball? Anti-Androids? Fowler?_

“Do you listen to Knights of the Black Death?” Connor asked, already knowing the answer. Gaining another odd look from Anderson. “I really like that music. It’s really full of….Energy.”

“You….” The Lieutenant started, voice disbelieving. “Listen to heavy metal?”

“Well..” Connor paused, “I don’t really listen to music, as such…I’d like to!” He expressed, leaning forward in his chair slightly, watching the slight uptilt to the Lieutenants lips. But he seemed to catch himself, pulling his face back into a frown.

_Basketball? Anti-Androids? Fowler?_

“Have you known Captain Fowler long?” Connor asked.

“Yeah….” He said, glancing at said man through the glass walls of his office. “Too long.”

_Basketball? Anti-Androids? Hours? Start working?_

“If you have any files on deviants, I’d like to take a look at them.” Connor asked, catching Anderson’s gaze and offering a friendly smile once again. What would it take to gain the man’s trust? He seemed to be warming up slightly but it was still bitter. If only he knew what was wrong.

“Terminal’s on your desk, knock yourself out.” He said, waving a hand. He seemed to want to be left alone. Connor took a look at the terminal before carefully setting his hand on the pad, as soon as the connection was made a flood of data began to run through his system. Each recorded case of deviants getting filed safely into his database. When he pulled his hand away, he was slightly surprised.

“243 files…? The first dates back nine months. It all started in Detroit then quickly spread across the country…” One file in particular caught his eye, “An AX400 has been reported to attack a man last night. That could be a good starting point for our investigation.” When he didn’t get a response, Connor pushed away from his desk, standing up and circling back over to the Lieutenants desk.

“Uh, Jesus….” He grumbled, pushing himself over to grab a tablet. Connor stood just over his shoulder, looking down at the small screen as the man tried to obviously ignore him.

_Direct? Aggressive? Understanding? Professional?_

“I’m sure you didn’t ask for this investigation, Lieutenant. But I’m sure you’re a professional-”

“Why don’t you go fuck yourself?” Anderson snapped at him, looking up at him with clear aggravation.

_Determined? Abandon mission? Threaten?_

“I was assigned to this case Lieutenant.” Connor began, leaning down. “I refuse to sit and wait until you feel like working.” The moment the words left his mouth, Connor felt himself get pushed backward, the Lieutenant had stood up and grabbed his collar. His pushing had finally made the man angry enough to take action.

“Listen, if it were up to me I would throw the lot of you in a dumpster and light a match, so you better stop pissing me off.” He growled. Connor froze, not saying anything to further anger the man. Anderson pushed him back and began stomping away. Connor watched, LED flashing yellow as he processed the information. He watched as the man walked towards the exit, but before he left the room he looked back, waving at Connor.

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot, get your ass over here!” He yelled and Connor blinked, surprised that he was welcomed. Although he would have followed the man either way. Connor nodded, reaching to fix his tie and followed the Lieutenant out the door of the DPD. Connor caught up to the Lieutenant, but stayed a few feet behind him. They walked out into the parking lot and Connor stopped beside the passenger side of the Lieutenants car, looking up at the cloudy sky. It was surprisingly dark, despite the fact that it was about lunch time. He briefly wondered if the Lieutenant was hungry. But the thought passed quickly.

“The fuck are you doin’? Get in the car already.” Anderson called, pushing open the passenger door.

“I’m sorry Lieutenant. I was just looking at the clouds.” Connor explained as he got in. “It looks like it’s going to rain.”

“It rains every damn day.” Anderson grumbled. “I don’t know why I even live here, weather is garbage.” Connor listened to his complaining with mild amusement and buckled his seatbelt. The Lieutenant started the car and they began the drive towards the last sighting of the deviant. Connor reviewed the file while they drove.

An AX400, bought by Todd Williams. The android had recently been repaired after being hit by a car. Although it had seemed to have to be repaired quite frequently. Mr. Williams had a daughter, Alice Williams and used to work as a taxi driver until self driving cars were made. The report states that the deviant kidnapped his daughter- it was the first kidnapping case. It made Connor question the report.

All other deviants had something to trigger their deviancy. Some sort of trauma. What made this AX400 go as far as kidnapping a child? There had to be more to the story, and with how many times it had to be repaired- was the android being abused? That would surely be enough reason for it to go deviant. His thoughts took a turn towards the deviant back at the DPD.

“....Lieutenant?” Connor spoke up, although with hesitation.

“What now?” He asked, eyes glued to the road.

“That deviant, the HK400. I spoke to it while you were talking to Captain Fowler.” Connor explained.

“And? Did it tell you something new?”

“It told me it was scared.” The Lieutenant went quiet. Connor looked over at him to see a deep frown pulling at his lips. Connor couldn’t tell if he was angry- or just annoyed.

“Androids can’t feel scared.” He finally said.

“Deviant’s can.” Connor said. “He said they were going to return him to CyberLife and he would be taken apart-”

“Why do you care?” Anderson snapped, glancing at Connor for a brief moment. “It’s not like it’ll die. It’s an android, it isn’t alive. It can’t feel.” Anderson repeated his previous statement, but this time Connor detected a hint of- uncertainty.

“Of course, Lieutenant.” Connor said eventually. But something didn’t sit right. He looked out the window, what was wrong with him? His code must have been wrong, why did this bother him so much? It shouldn't bother him at all. Deviant’s were just malfunctioning androids. No amount of pain could justify hurting a human being. Amanda would be disappointed in him to learn of these thoughts. He had to make her proud. He had to do his job, he was made to capture deviants and nothing more.

When the car came to a stop along the side of a curb, Connor unbuckled his seat belt and climbed out of the car. But before he could take another step forward, the Lieutenant rounded the car and put a hand up.

“Hold on there robocop.” He stopped him, Conor did a quick search of the term and saw it was a movie reference.

“I’m afraid I am nothing like robocop, I am not half huma-”

“It’s a joke, shut up.” Anderson rolled his eyes. “Just, stay by the car while I talk to these guys.” He said, gesturing to the other officers. Connor nodded, holding his hands behind his back. He watched as Lieutenant Anderson approached the other officers, talking with them about the case.

The first drop hit his face, at first Connor didn’t realize what it was. He looked up and the rain suddenly began to pour down on them. He heard a few annoyed groans, but he found it rather calming. Something else to focus on rather than just standing there. A few minutes passed by until the Lieutenant returned to his side.

“It took the first bus that came along.” Connor began telling the Lieutenant when he had discovered so far, just by observing the surroundings and catching brief snippets of conversation. “And stayed at the end of the line. It’s decision wasn’t planned, it was driven by fear.”

“Androids don’t feel fear.” Anderson laughed.

“Deviants do.” Connor repeated his previous words, and Anderson stopped laughing, looking him in the eyes. “They get overwhelmed by their emotions and make irrational decisions.” Rather than argue, Anderson nodded softly.

“Alright, but that still doesn’t tell us where it went.” He said.

“It didn’t have a plan...It didn’t have a place to go.” Connor thought aloud. “Maybe it didn’t go far.”

“Maybe…” Anderson agreed. “Let’s look around then.” He said, stuffing his tablet into his pocket and walking away. Connor watched him go before looking around at the buildings. Scanning them to see the probability of where the deviant would have gone with a child. It most likely didn’t have any money, and there were no reports of robbery nearby….Connor’s gaze fell on a large, abandoned building and slowly began walking over to it, circling the outside. There was a hole cut in the fence that encircled it. Upon further inspection- there were traces of blue blood on it. It had to be here. Connor looked at Anderson, who raised an eyebrow at him.

“There is traces of blue blood. I know it’s here.” He said, lowering himself to the muddy ground to crawl through the opening. Ignoring the Lieutenants protesting. Connor circled the house, looking for the front door.The whole house was boarded up and looked run down, it was unsafe for a little girl, she must be scared.

_“Please help me! I don’t wanna die!”_

The words flashed through Connor’s memories, he flinched as his LED turned a dangerously dark shade of yellow, even flickering to red. Emma’s voice was a clear sound in his mind. She was scared, and so was this little girl. He would save her just like he saved Emma.

He approached a boarded up window and saw signs of movement inside. But he couldn’t make out much. He rounded the corner and saw the front door. It was just as damaged as the rest of the house, but still functioning. He approached and gave two, sharp knocks.

“Anyone home?” He called out. But no answer came. So he gently turned the doorknob, feeling it turn under his hands and the door pushed open. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him and saw one other person in the room. Another android. He came closer, doing a quick scan of the android. It was a WR600, damaged on the side of its face, and it’s LED was dead, a sign of software instability.

_Find the source of Androids stress. Currently at 56%_

_AX400? Reassure? Deviants? Blue Blood?_

“Don’t be afraid.” Connor said, eyeing the android carefully as he began to walk around the room, slowly. He noticed the android’s stress decrease as he went further into the room, towards the fireplace. So he circled around and walked towards the stairs. It’s stress climbed rapidly the closer he got, so he started up the stairs. He got halfway up before stopping, looking down at the android.

“Is there anyone up here?” Connor asked him.

“No! No...No one else is here except Ralph.” The android assured. It shifted from foot to foot, nervous. Connor nodded at him, he didn’t appear to be lying. So Connor backed down the stairs. It didn’t like him close to the stairs- why? Connor looked at them, noticing stacks of boxes underneath of them. That must be why- he began towards the boxes hidden under the stairs when he felt two arms wrap around him.

“Run! Quick Kara!” Ralph yelled right in his ear, making him flinch. Two bodies emerged from under the stairs and ran past him, further into the house. Connor struggled, but couldn’t get out of the android’s grip. The android pushed him down and ran away himself just as Anderson came through the door.

“Connor! What the hell is going on?!” He yelled as Connor quickly pushed himself up.

“It’s here Lieutenant! Call it in!” Connor said and began chasing after the deviant. Connor ran out the door, running into an officer. “Which way did it go?” He asked urgently.

“That way! Towards the train station!” He responded, pointing down the road straight ahead. Connor nodded and began running, he could see how far ahead they were, each step he took decreased the distance. He was faster than them- of course he was. He was built for this exact purpose. Connor weaved through crowds of people, ignoring the shouts of annoyed citizens. He skid to a stop at a corner and quickly rounded it. Catching sight of the two androids climbing over a chain link fence. By the time Connor reached them they were already on the other side. He grabbed the fence, but didn’t climb over.

The deviant looked at him, here eyes full of fear. She held the child’s hand, and when Connor looked at her- Alice, he remembered, she didn’t seem afraid of the deviant, she looked...afraid of him- why? The deviant’s eyes looked past Connor and she began to run once again, Connor watched as she and the little girl crossed into the freeway.  
  
“Oh fuck, that’s insane!” Anderson swore, having caught up to them. Connor agreed and began to pull himself up over the fence but a firm hand fell on his shoulder, stopping him.”Hey! You’ll get yourself killed!” He yelled at him, but Connor just frowned at him.

_Listen? Go?_

Connor ignored the Lieutenants cries of protest as his lifted himself up and over the fence in one, graceful movement. He ignored the shouts of “Connor get the fuck back here!” and slid down the hill, mud and rain soaking his clothes. It was hard to see in the rain, but he crossed the warning line anyway. The deviant and the child were halfway across by now. Connor threw himself out into the road, narrowly dodging a car that sped past. Another one coming up quickly in front of him had his heart pumping.

He slipped and fell forward, barely catching his balance in time to lean back out of the way of a large bus. The sound of the rain mixed with the harsh sound of cars were disorienting but Connor was focused on only the two deviant’s in front of him. He was closing in on them, he jumped across the street and onto the curb, darting a hand out to close around the wrist of the AX900. She turned to face him, eyes wide with fear, he had them- but he froze.

_Two deviants?_

Connor’s gaze fell to the little girl, her eyes were full of fear. Fear directed at him, but it was then that he realized she was no little girl. She was an android. It all made sense now, why the deviant kidnapped her. That had to be the reason, they were protecting each other. There is no way an android would kidnap a human child- was there?

“Please.” The deviant- Kara said. Voice desperate. “Please let us go.” She begged. Connor looked into her eyes, mouth falling open slightly. What was he doing? He needed to bring them in, he shouldn’t be freezing.

“He was beating her.” She kept talking, making Connor’s head spin. “How could a human do that to his own daughter?” She asked. Connor frowned. His daughter? So she was a human? Connor looked down at the girl again, that didn’t seem right.

“Please. Let us go.” She pleaded, and with no explanation-

Connor did.

 

**November 6th, 5:00 PM**

When Markus heard the words ‘a safe place’ this was the last thing he had expected. The darkness was quite frightening, the only light came from the small flashlight in his hands. The air was damp and musty, making his nose wrinkle in disgust. Every step he took seemed to make the entire ship creak under his feet. His thirium pump running double time, sensing his nervousness.

Finding this place had been difficult enough, searching for the same symbol in several different graffiti. When he had first laid eyes on the huge ship, his first thought was that he was lost. But upon closer inspection, it was perfect for a hiding place. An abandoned ship that was difficult to get to? Only an android could do it, making the possibility of humans stumbling upon the hideout unlikely. There was a 7% chance. But- that was only if they were really here.

Markus pushed open an old, rickety door, cringing at the sound it made in protest. The corridor was long, endless even. Markus walked down the grated panels and came to a set of stairs. He had just gotten to the bottom when the whole ship seemed to shake, he was thrown off balance and saw the path suddenly end. He tried to back up but it was to late. He slipped over the side and began to fall. At this point, he had grown quite accustomed to not being upright.

The impact of hitting the ground caused a full body jolt. He let out a long breath of air, not realizing he had been holding it in at all. Pushing himself back up was a routine task, but when he looked up, he saw- people. No, androids. They were all looking down at him with looks of surprise.

**Surprise?**

Markus pushed himself up fully, flashing his light around to look at all the individual androids looking at him- watching him flounder like a fish out of its element. He swore he even saw one of them chuckle- were his actions really that amusing? Markus’ mismatched eyes searched the crowd frantically, would no one speak to him? Well if that was the case.

“Who are you?” He asked, trying not to sound afraid.

“Fugitives.” Someone said, standing further back. Markus’ light fell on him. “Just like you. My name is Josh.” Markus felt the name register into his database. He seemed friendly.

“I’m Simon.” Another said, he was blond and standing closest to him.

“North.” The third said. The three of them were all standing close by, they must have held more authority. Markus looked at each of them in turn, watching carefully for any strange actions. He was still nervous, jumpy. Full of irrational fear, but he tried to form it into something else- something more, confident.

**Trail? Android? Jericho? Refuge?**

“And you knew that only an android could follow the trail, didn’t you?” He asked, voice stern.

“Only those who are like us can find Jericho….” Josh said.

“If you could decipher the signs, it means someone trusted you enough to give you the key.” Simon explained. Markus thought of the half dead android in the junkyard, the sound of thunder haunting him and sending a shiver down his spine.

**Free? Android? Jericho? Refuge?**

“This is….Jericho?” Markus asked, a spark of- disappointment flared in him.

“It’s a place we can go where we don’t have to be afraid anymore.” Josh answered and Markus looked around at the other androids standing, staring at him.

**Android? Refuge?**

“How many of you?” He asked.

“There are nineteen of us still in working order.” This time it was North that answered. “The rest were damaged escaping their masters…”

“Many tried to reach Jericho. Few succeed. Humans have little pity when it comes to us.” Josh said, somber. “I understand how you feel...But we have more freedom here than you ever did.”

**Lost? Somber? Lucid? Direct?** Markus didn’t know how they would respond if he tried to be- demanding. His options flashed in his eyes, he was counting the seconds go by and quickly chose a response.

“Humans were your masters and now it’s fear that rules you…” He began, a hint of humor, possibly teasing in his voice. What was he doing? He was speaking without really thinking, or rather, he could finally chose what to say, what to do. No longer weighed down by chains of obedience. It felt- quite liberating.

“You’re no freer than you ever were!” He continued. “You’ve only found a new master.”

“You’re lost.” Simon said, looking at him with- pity? No that wasn’t it. “Just like the rest of us. We didn’t ask for this, all we can do now is deal with it.” He said and walked away, Markus watched him go with a frown.

“You’re safe here.” Josh said. “You can stay with us as long as you want.” He also walked away, the rest of the androids began to leave as well.

“Go and see Lucy.” North said, beginning to walk away. “She might be able to help you.”

Markus watched as the androids slowly left the circle they had formed around him. Was this really what they were satisfied with? They considered living in hiding, in an abandoned ship no less- freedom? He felt a frown tug at his lips, it didn’t sit right.

Choosing to disregard those feelings for now, he himself began poking around. Lucy? How would she help him? Had North noticed the cut on his side? His shirt had been soaked with thirium, it was rather uncomfortable. Markus waved his flashlight around, looking around the wide room. There were barrels set up all around the room, some had fires lit in them, others were burnt out. Markus slowly moved through the room, carefully eyeing the other androids, weather it be in fear or- something else.

He approached one of the barrels and carefully lit the wood, making a small fire appear. Like moths drawn to a flame, a few androids gathered around it. Markus watched with interest. Were they cold? Or did the light bring them comfort? He couldn’t help but wonder if they were feeling all the same things he was, or perhaps, they were different.

Lucy wasn't very difficult for him to find, much to his surprise. The space was rather large and yet he stumbled upon her rather quickly and knew immediately that she could indeed, help him somehow.

“Are you Lucy?” He asked her. She was standing off to the side, hands held in front of her. She looked at him with her dark eyes, making Markus shift from foot to foot. Her skin was patchy, fading in some spots so Markus could see….Well, her. Her true body underneath the pretend, human fibers.

“Sit down.” She commanded, and Markus immediately did so, feeling a wave of nostalgia. He looked up at her, keeping his eyes on her face. He felt a sting of sorrow at the sight of her broken state. Half of her head was missing, like the back had been ripped off. What had happened to her?

“Show me.” She said, Markus paused for a moment before he hesitantly lifted his shirt, revealing the wound on his side. She looked at it with little concern, even though he could clearly see sparks flickering, showing damage. If he lost anymore thirium it could be bad- he was already feeling sluggish.

“I’ll stop the bleeding.” She said, walking over to the fire. Markus eyed her as she grabbed a metal rod, red hot at the end. When she approached with it he knew what she was planning and could practically feel each percent his stress rose by. But he held still as she lowered the rod to his side, ignoring the sickening sound of plastic melting, but the wound was quickly sealed, leaving a scar in his side. He didn’t feel the need to get rid of it, even though his self repair function could probably do it. Something about it seemed….right to have. Like it was proof that he could have imperfections like any human.

She returned the rod to the fire and pulled out a bottle of thirium, handing it to him. “Drink this.” She instructed, and Markus listened once again. He took the bottle and popped off the cap. He was quite grateful, the thirium had an instant effect, his systems stabilized for the first time since the junkyard. Markus stood up, eyes never leaving the woman in front of him. For some reason, she scared him.

“Give me your hand.” She said, holding out her own. Markus looked, and slowly lifted his own arm, placing his hand in hers. As soon as their hands met, Markus watched as both their skins pulled back, revealing the white underneath. The connecting made him jump. Her mind melded with his and it felt- invasive. But he tried to relax, slowly letting himself feel her own thoughts.

“You had it all….And you lost it all.” She said, holding intense eye contact. “You’ve seen hell and now hell lives in you. Your heart is troubled. A part of shadow and a part of light….Which will prevail?” She asked with a slight smile, Markus fought not to step back as she drew close. “Your choices will decide our destiny.” She said, Markus frowned at her words and pulled his hand away, skin covering it back up. He slowly backed away, watching as she returned to her place by the fire, as if their conversation hadn’t even happened.  
Markus kept backing away, keeping his eyes on the female android until he was far enough away that his light barely illuminated her outline. He looked around a bit more, there was only nineteen of them? How could so few have escaped, were they so unique that only a few were able to break their programing? The possibilities were endless and beginning to make his head swim. He tried to shake away his thoughts but one stuck behind, tugging at his program.

How could they live like this?

“I’m not in very good shape, am I?” A broken android spoke when Markus knelt down next to him. His voice was broken and crackley. It hurt to hear, not his ears, but his heart. Markus shook his head, not really knowing what to say to him.

“My diagnostic program isn’t working…” The android said. “I don’t think it would have anything good to say anyway…” He said, pushing out a laugh. Markus offered a small smile, he reached out a hand and held the other android’s shoulder. A form of comfort.

“What happened to you?” Markus asked.

“Tied me to the back of a car. Think they wanted to have fun.” He answered, voice strained, eyes beginning to water. Markus had to fight to keep himself from doing the same, “I don’t wanna shut down….No I, I don’t want to shut down.” He repeated the words and each time Markus felt his anger build.

“You won’t.” He said, giving the android’s knee a squeeze of reassurance before standing back up. “I’ll make sure of it.” Markus wasn’t sure how he would help this android, but he had to. He couldn’t let him die.

The rest of the androids weren’t in much better shape. He waved his light around and explored the area to the best of his ability. It was so dark, it made his hands unwillingly shake. The darkness was something he couldn’t help but fear, because it was all he could see back in that junkyard. Although this was quite like a junkyard itself. Rather than wallow, Markus distracted himself further and talked to as many as the androids he could.

“I’ve heard...Humans are afraid of dying too.” One had said to him, “Do you know what it’s like, to die?”

“No.” Markus said, looking at her damaged face. It looked- painful, but he knew none of them could really feel pain. He didn’t even know what pain felt like. But not other word would fit. “I don’t.”  
“Well, I’m about to find out.” She said, a smile formed on her lips, one of spite and sorrow. “What’s your name…?”

“Markus.” He answered. Watching her slowly begin to shut down. She reached for his hands, and he let her take them, letting her interface. Mixed feelings of fear and- content were coming from her.

“Markus….I’m glad to have met you.” She said, going still.

“And I as well.” Markus answered, leaning to look into her eyes, but he saw she was already gone. Her presence slowly faded from his mind, until it was no more than a whisper. He stared at her for awhile longer, his frown slowly deepening. Why hadn’t any of them tried to obtain more biocomponents? They could have saved her. He looked up and glanced around the room until his gaze landed on one of the three androids he had spoken to earlier. Josh, he believed was his name.

When he got close, Josh looked up at him from where he sat on a crate. He had been sitting over a broken down android- a child. Markus cast his sad gaze down at the android, not believing he could possibly feel more sorrow. Josh came up to him, looking back at the child. He was alive- but barely.

“His owners threw him out when they didn’t want him anymore.” Josh said, voice quiet. “He was living on the streets when we found him.”

“They’ll all shut down if we don’t do something to help them.” Markus said.

“To help them we need blue blood and biocomponents.” Josh explained, catching Markus’ gaze. “We salvage what we can from those who shut down but….It isn’t enough.”

“So...How will they survive?” Markus asked. Josh looked away.

“They won’t.” Markus stared at Josh, he bit down on the inside of his cheek. That couldn’t happen, they couldn’t let these androids die- no, he couldn’t let them die. Markus looked around briefly, eyes catching a cluster of boxes shoved in the corner.

**CyberLife**. Was scrawled across them in damaged letters.

“I have a plan.” Markus said. Locking his gaze with Josh once again, seeing the others face lighten, if by just a fraction, and it was then that Markus remembered his favorite emotion of all of them.

**Hope.**


	5. Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Russian Roulette
> 
> Spare parts
> 
> Eden Club
> 
> The Bridge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter- is so long. My soul hurts. But It had to be done- because I need the next one to be pretty lengthy as well and breaking it up into short little snippets would be so choppy and not flow well-- AHG. But hey! Extra long chapter! <3
> 
> Markus doesn't get a lot of screen time this chapter buuuuut don't worry buddy, next chapter is your chance to shine.
> 
> Also I'm planing and going back to add notes about things I add to the story so people don't think a few extra scenes are canon- because I don't want to disappoint anyone who think's it is. :^( Should have done that to start with.
> 
> Anyways- I really appreciate all the positive responses! I love that you guys are enjoying it! Let me know what you think of this chapter and keep those positive vibes flowing! My creativity flooooows on positive vibes.

**November 6th 2038, 7:51 PM**

When Connor opened his eyes, it was raining. The weather in the coded world perfectly reflecting the real world. Looking down at his hands he saw he had an umbrella. Somehow, the rain seemed unwelcomed in the garden. It was dark and chilled even Connor to the core. His immunity to the cold and or heat didn’t seem to work here. It was something he found comforting, whenever he came to see Amanda, he would get the chance to feel- warm. But this, he decided he didn’t like this.

Connor opened the umbrella and began walking across the garden, Amanda was not in her usual spot, this time she was standing under the cover of a patio roof; waiting for him. When he got closer, she turned her head to meet his eyes. Connor offered a smile, but her eyes remained cold. It was unsettling. Why was she upset?

“Hello Amanda.” Connor greeted when he got close.

“Connor,” She replied. “I’ve been expecting you. Would you mind a little walk?” She asked, gesturing to the umbrella. Connor nodded, extending his arm so she could take it. Her arms wrapped around his upper arm and he held the umbrella high above her head, making sure she would stay dry.

“That deviant seemed to be an intriguing case…” She said, Connor thought back to the room full of pigeons, it was quite amusing to hear Lieutenant Anderson’s complaints about them. The case had been interesting. Connor discovered a journal full of strange markings, the walls covered with ‘rA9’ like the previous two cases. And he found the deviant hiding in the room. It was all around a rather successful case- until the end. He knew Amanda would not be pleased with him.

“A pity you didn’t manage to capture it…” She said, the words having a sort of sharp sting to them. Making Connor feel- guilty.

_Pragmatic? Explain? No excuse?_

“I have no excuse. I should have been more efficient….” Connor responded, he tried to shake the image of the Lieutenant hanging off the side of the building. It triggered an instant response, one he couldn’t explain. He just had to save the man. If he hadn’t- well, Connor knew it would be wrong, but he didn’t know why.

“Help me!” Anderson had cried, and Connor had to make the choice between the mission and the Lieutenant. Before he could really even think about it, he found himself pulling the man back up over the edge of the building. The deviant escaped, but for some reason that didn’t matter to him at the time.

“Did you manage to learn anything?” Amanda asked, breaking Connor from his thoughts.

_Diary? Walls? Birds?_

“I found it’s diary. But It’s encrypted. It may take weeks to decypher.” Connor said, watching Amanda nod slightly, but Connor could tell she was only slightly interested.

“What else?” She asked, voice flat. Connor frantically searched his mind to give her some sort of interesting information. His programing reminding him of the other things he found.

_Writing on the wall? Birds?_

“The walls of the apartment were covered in markings, labyrinth like drawings and other symbols. Like the other deviants, it seemed to be obsessed with rA9.” Connor explained, LED flaring yellow as he thought of the mysterious identity, what could rA9 be? Or who?

“You came….very close to capturing the deviant.” Amanda said, Connor felt his coding scramble at her words. “How is your relationship with the Lieutenant progressing?” She asked, she obviously knew what had occured.

_Saving Hank? Negative? Ambiguous? Positive?_

“He seemed grateful that I saved his life on the roof.” Connor explained. “He didn’t say anything, but he expressed it in his….own way.” It was true. Hank hadn’t said anything to him, but his attitude towards Connor seemed to improve. Connor was, glad. The Lieutenant’s opinion was quite important for the investigation, he would do whatever he could to build his trust. Connor hadn’t noticed Amanda stop until he was a few steps ahead. He slowed and turned to face her, she looked- disappointed. It made Connor feel ashamed. Why was she upset with him?

“We don’t have much time, Connor.” She said. “Deviancy continues to spread, it’s only a matter of time until the media finds out about it. We need to stop this, do whatever it takes.”

“I will solve this investigation, Amanda.” Connor expressed, he wanted her to believe in him. Her opinion was the highest priority in his programing. She was always- more important. She was the only one that appreciated him- but that was only natural. He was nothing more than an android and humans were not expected to like him. Only Amanda could ever enjoy his company.

“I won’t disappoint you.” Connor insisted. She didn’t look convinced.

“A new case just came in.” She said. “Find Anderson and investigate it.” She instructed, not saying anything else. She walked past Connor, and he watched her go. One second she was there, and the next she was gone. The garden slowly faded into darkness. The last thing to go was the sound of the rain.

When Connor opened his eyes, he was outside the DPD. The harsh sound of rain much different here than it was in the garden. He looked up at the sky, blinking away the drops that hit his eyes. It wasn’t cold, it was just leaving small, prickly sensations all across his exposed skin. Connor let out a long sigh, watching as a cloud of steam left his lips. It was a silly, very human thing to do. But it had a- satisfying feeling to it.

Connor liked the rain, he decided.

Connor checked inside the DPD but found the Lieutenant’s desk empty. He must have gone home, it was getting rather late. The time nearing 8:30 PM. Connor left the station, walking through the rain until he came to the main road, signaling for a taxi through his program. The driverless car pulled up not minutes later and took him to the address he relayed through the lingering connection.

Car rides were rather enjoyable. It gave Connor time to think, he could look out the window and see the world speed by in a blur. It gave him the chance to focus on nothing, rather than everything at once. He was an android programed to pick up every small detail of the world and yet he managed to find it- annoying. Connor’s fingers twitched at the thought. He wasn’t allowed to feel annoyed, angry, scared. He shook the feelings away, he had forgotten to ask Amanda about these bugs in his system. He would have to remember next time.

The car pulled up next to a rather small house. Connor peered out the window and looked curiously at the building. There was no obvious signs of movement inside. It looked rather- lonely. The doors to the car opened and Connor exited the cab, it drove away as soon as his feet were on the ground. Connor walked up the stoop, hopping up the stairs and knocked on the front door.

“Lieutenant Anderson?” Connor called, but got no response. He rang the bell. “Anybody home?” He tried. But again, no anwer. The Lieutenants car was in the driveway- he must be here.

Connor began circling the house, he tried looking in a few of the windows but most of them had the curtains drawn. He did manage to find one though, he looked through and saw the rather alarming sight of Lieutenant Anderson on the floor, bottle in one hand and a gun in the other. Connor felt his eyes widen in surprise- could he feel surprised?

“Lieutenant!” He called, but the man didn’t move. He looked around frantically, finding he had no other choice than to break in. He rammed his elbow up against the glass of the window, it shattered instantly with a loud crash, without really thinking Connor stepped back, running to jump through the window. The opening was rather small and he tumbled through, rolling and landing firmly on his back, eyes squeezed shut as the world spun briefly.

When Connor opened his eyes he came face to face with a large, unhappy looking dog. Alarm bells went off in Connor’s mind as he froze under the dogs watchful gaze. He slowly brought his hands up. What had Hank said his name was?

“Good dog….” Connor said, regaining use of his voice. “Sumo?” He asked, this got the dog’s attention. It tilted it’s head at Connor, and Connor did the same. “I’m your friend, see!” He said, slowly extending a hand to let the dog sniff. Sumo did just that, when he deemed Connor as worthy he stepped back, licking his lips and going for his food bowl. Connor let out a sigh and scrambled to his feet, approaching the unconscious Lieutenant.

Doing a quick scan, Connor discovered that he was, indeed alive. He had drank to much and had only slight arrhythmia. He wasn’t in any real danger but could still harm himself. Connor leaned down on one knee, leaning over the man.

“Lieutenant.” He called, trying to wake him up. But there was no movement. He slowly reached out, lightly slapping at the mans face a few times, this made him grumble but not really wake up. Connor frowned.

“Wake up Lieutenant!” He called, seeing the man’s eyes open, he looked confused. Connor lifted an arm, bringing it back slowly before whipping it down, slapping the man with a loud WHACK.

“It’s me! Connor!” He explained, seeing that he was awake at this point, just not responding. Connor reached out and grabbed the man’s arm, hoisting him up. “I’m going to sober you up for your own safety.”

“Hey! Leave me alone you fuckin’ android!” Hank wailed but didn’t struggle as Connor sat him up.

“I have to warn you, this may be unpleasant.” Connor explained, getting a look of annoyance from the detective.

“Get the fuck outta my house!” Hank swore at him, but Connor just ignored him and lifted him to his feet.

“I’m sorry Lieutenant, but I need you.” Connor said, standing up. The man hung off of him like a limp noodle. “I thank you in advance for your cooperation.” Connor smiled.

“Get the fuck outta my house!” The Lieutenant wailed again. But Connor just ignored him and began walking towards the bathroom.

“Sumo! Attack!” Hank called to his dog, who gave a half hearted bark in response. “Good dog…Attack!” He called again. Connor let himself enjoy the fact that Sumo relaxed, not bothering to even get up and check on Hank. Connor leaned Hank against the wall, where the man just groaned. Face pressed against the wall. “I think I’m gonna be sick….”

“Maybe you won’t drink so much next time.” Connor said and pulled the man back off the wall, steering him towards the now open bathroom door.

“I’m not goin’ anywhere with you!” Hank shouted, hand latching onto the doorframe, but Connor easily pulled him off of it and pushed him down onto the edge of the bathtub.

“I don’t wanna take a bath, thank you.” Hank said, waving Connor away and going to stand up, but Connor just pushed him back down, watching as he fell back into the tub.

“Sorry Lieutenant. It’s for your own good.” Connor tried to explain as he reached for the shower knob. As soon as he turned it, a spray of water was let loose, raining down on the Lieutenant who shouted angrily.

“TURN IT OFF!” He yelled, Connor watched as he got soaked, letting him flail around for a moment longer before reaching over and turning it off. As soon as the water flow ended, Hank went limp in the tub, looking up at Connor in disbelief.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He asked, as if just waking up.

“A homicide was reported 43 minutes ago.” Connor said. Hands clasping behind his back.

“Jesus, I must be the only cop in the world….” Hank trailed off as he pushed himself up with a grunt. “That gets assaulted in how own house by his own fuckin’ android…Can’t you just leave me alone?” He asked.

_Rational? Aggressive? Solution? Problematic?_

“Maybe you should drop the case. They’ll assign someone else and I can focus on my mission.” Connor said.

“That’s all you care about huh? Your damned mission!” Hank growled.

“Listen Lieutenant. You’re not yourself. You should-”

“Beat it! You hear me? Get the hell outta here!” Hank yelled at Connor, and he did back up a step as the man got up, but he wobbled, Connor reached out and made him sit back down.

_Tease? Leave?_ Connor frowned at his own options. Tease? He hardly knew how to do that, but he couldn’t leave.

“Oh well..” He tried, pushing away his aggressive programing for a more, lighthearted approach. “I understand. It probably wasn’t interesting anyway….A man found dead at a sex club downtown….guess they’ll have to solve the case without us!” Connor sighed for extra effect, walking towards the door.

“You know...Probably wouldn’t do me any harm to get some fresh air.” The Lieutenant spoke up, Connor smiled to himself. “There are some clothes in the bedroom there…”

“I’ll get them.” Connor said and crossed the hall into the bedroom. He looked around until he spotted the closet. “What would you like to wear?” He called, opening the doors to see a wide variety of shirts.

“Whatever.” Came the call.

_Hippy? Streaky? Stripy?_ Connor looked at his options, did it matter? None of them were really that appealing if he had to be honest. After brief contemplation, Connor went with the hippy shirt. It looked- the most interesting of the three. He brought it into the bathroom and found Anderson bent over the toilet. Connor set the clothes down, looking worriedly at the man who waved him away.

“Just, give me five minutes.” He wheezed and Connor nodded, exiting the bathroom to give the man privacy. Eyes catching the sticky notes all over the glass of the mirror, messages of hate. It made Connor wonder, did the Lieutenant dislike himself?

Connor wandered back out into the main room of the house, the living room and kitchen were open concept, one big room. Connor spotted Sumo, laying on his rug in the living room and couldn’t help but approach the dog. As he got closer, he let out a half hearted bark, sounding more like a small breath of air. Connor knelt down and ran his hand down the dogs back, watching as his tail began thumping against the floor. Connor felt his lips tug up in a happy smile. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of soft fur under his fingers. He gave the dog a gentle pat before standing back up and looking around.

As he wandered around he noticed the large amount of Jazz records Hank had collected. He must have enjoyed the music quite a bit, even love it. It made Connor wonder why he listened to heavy metal at work. The genres were very different after all.

He walked back into the kitchen and inspected the area which Hank had been laying, his eyes mainly trained on the revolver. Hank had it loosely in his hand when he was on the floor, it only had one bullet in it- was the man suicidal? Connor frowned, standing back up.

_Ask? Leave it alone?_

He didn’t ask. From past experience, Hank didn’t seem to enjoy being questioned about personal matters, and if Connor was being honest- he was a bit nervous of his answer. Instead he went to the table noticing the unhealthy amount of empty pizza boxes stacked on top of one another. A face down picture frame caught his eye and he gently lifted it up, seeing a young boy. Connor scanned the face and discovered it to be Hank’s son, his name was Cole and he had died. That seemed to answer several building questions Connor had stored in his mind for the Lieutenant.

Connor felt a pang of guilt as he set the picture back down. He shouldn’t have pried. Lieutenant Anderson was still grieving and probably not in a stable mind set. Connor should try being nicer to him. Perhaps he needed a friend, not just a partner.

Connor turned around just and Hank exited the bathroom, fully dressed. He offered a smile to the man, and to his surprise, he got one back. Sumo trotted into the kitchen standing beside Hank and the man gazed fondly down at his dog.

“Be a good dog Sumo. We won’t be long.” Hank said and went to the front door, Connor following close behind. His LED flashed yellow as he thought.

_We?_

 

  
**November 6th 2038, 8:01 PM**

Markus hated the rain. It made it hard to see and the sound was disorienting. It reminded him of being trapped in the junkyard. The memories constantly flashing in the forefront of his thoughts every time a drop hit his face. It made him bite down on his cheek, close to breaking the smooth plastic lining.

Following behind the other three, Markus pushed himself up over the edge of the wall. The CyberLife facility was huge, the main building was still a ways away, but they weren't here for that. What they needed to find was the warehouse. It had the supplies they needed. Markus would rather die than return to Jericho empty handed, knowing there were several dying androids waiting for him.

“This is crazy! If they catch us, we’re dead.” Josh said, looking between North and Markus with a panicked expression.

“What do we do now?” Simon asked, ignoring Josh’s worried complaining.

“We need to find the CyberLife warehouse. That’s where they keep the spare biocomponents and blue blood.” Markus explained. Looking around the facility. Crates were stacked everywhere, being moved by different lifts. It was a labyrinth of sorts, easy to travel in cover, but just as easy to get lost.

“Follow me!” North instructed and began running into the facility. Josh and Simon following close behind her. Markus watched with a hint of annoyance, hoping she knew where she was going.

“Watch out!” North shouted, pulling Markus aside and behind a crate. Two guards and a drone passed ahead.

“Now what?” Markus asked through a connection.

“I’ll find another way.” North said, pushing away and scaling the side of a large crate. Markus watched as the other two followed her up with a frown. This could be dangerous.

Markus followed after the group, they jumped between crates. Climbing up the sides of others to get even higher off the ground, Markus did his best not to slip on the wet surfaces. He cursed under his breath at the squeak of his shoes. The rain really was a curse of nature. Luckily the temperature was dropping, with any luck the rain would turn to snow before long. At least that wouldn’t haunt his memories.

“Don’t let them see us.” North called from ahead, Markus ducked behind a crate next to Simon as a drone flew just ahead of them. North and Josh had already gotten past and went on ahead. There were workers meandering around the yard. But they didn’t seem interested in looking for any possible intruders. They didn’t seem to be aware of their presence. Markus gestured for Simon to go ahead, and followed close behind.

“Where the hell are you going?” Markus asked as Simon began jumping across crates. They had to catch up with North and Josh but Markus had lost sight of them.

“This way, Markus!” Simon called, and Markus followed. He caught a glimpse of North and Josh jumping across the higher crates. He and Simon rushed to catch up, and when they did they found them both perched on the edge, looking down at the drone flying back and forth in their path.

“This is the warehouse, it’ll have everything we need.” Simon said.

“We have to get rid of that drone.” North pointed to the drone.

“Leave it to me.” Markus said. Standing up, he scanned the area and saw a crane beginning to lift up one of the cargo crates. He preconstructed his actions, the world seemed to slow down and turn a shade of blue as he saw an image of himself dash towards the crate and leap up the side, but he would never reach it- he backed up a few steps, adjusting the route. If he lept up the crate next to it he could push off and grab the other one. He couldn’t leap from there though, he’d have to swing himself across. That should work.

Markus ran forward, jumping up and grabbing the top of the first crate, once at the top he pushed off the edge, grabbing and swinging off of the edge of the crate being lifted by the crate. He was dangling in mid-air, and slowly lifting higher. He swung his legs forward, then back again, trying to gain momentum. With one final swing he launched himself forward, reaching out and slamming into the drone, it shook at the impact, it started flying erratically around as Markus pulled on it, crushing its outer shell as much as he could. It eventually fell from the sky, and he tumbled to the ground with it.

Markus let out a long sigh as he laid there on his back, looking up at the dark, cloudy sky. His clothes were coated in mud, now he was definitely feeling nostalgic. He grunted as he rolled onto his side, pushing himself up off the wet ground.

“Are you okay?” Simon asked as they ran over to him.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Markus said, Simon patted him on the back and kept running.

“Good job Markus.” North said as she ran by, Markus followed the three of them, they rounded the corner and they reached their goal. Stacks of boxes filled with spare parts were all next to a large truck. They must have been loading it. Markus pulled the bag off his back and began to open the boxes, stuffing as much as he could fit into the bag.

When the box was empty, he looked up to see the others had frozen. Standing before them was another android. It looked confused. It worked at the warehouse, if the uniform was any indicator.

“You’re trespassing on private property.” It spoke. “Your presence constitutes a level 2 infraction.” It said and walked forward towards Markus. “I will notify security.”

“JOHN!” a shout came from nearby, catching the android’s attention. Markus, in a panic, grabbed the android, covering its mouth and pulling it back to hide behind the crates. The rest of the group following suit. “Goddamn machine, where did it go this time?” The approaching voice grumbled.

“John?” Another voice called. A flashlight was being shone around the area. Markus held his breath as they walked by, but still had the sense to pull back his skin, connecting to the android in his arms.

“I need your help.” He said through the connection, and the android stopped struggling. Markus was surprised that worked so well. Had he- broken through the android’s programing?

“John?” The voice grew louder and Markus could see the light flashing across the ground and reflecting in the water.

**Hold? Release? Attack?** Markus saw all his possible options and had little time to decide. Without a second thought he released the android, trusting him to not give them away. He was sure he had broken through his programing. He knew that he’d help them.

“There you are!” The worker said. “What the hell were you doing?”

“I was inspecting the platform.” The android said and Markus held his breath once again. “Everything is in order.”

“Good. Then I’m going back to the control station, I’m soaked.” The worker grumbled. “Take that drone to the maintenance and make a report.” He instructed and then left. Markus let out the breath in one big rush of air, coming out from where he was hidden.

“Let’s finish up and get out of here.” North said and they all went back to looting. Markus opened another crate of spare parts and quickly stuffed them into his bag.

“Try to find some more blue blood, we don’t have enough!” Josh called. Markus looked around surveying the area, there was a large box against the wall. He climbed up to it and pried it open, jumping back at the sight of three, identical androids. On the side of the box it said AP700, a new model?

“Why aren’t you like us?” Markus asked softly. He extended a hand, fingers brushing against the first of the three’s own hand. He felt the connection and he pushed on the other androids programing. He wanted to wake it up- he wanted it to feel like he did.

“Don’t you want to be free?” He asked, pushing the question through his mind and into the android, eyes squeezing shut. He felt the hand beneath his own move, their fingers slowly lacing together. Markus opened his mismatched eyes and saw the look of bewilderment on the newly awakened android. Astonished, Markus pulled his hand away and repeated his actions with the other two androids. All three of them woke up, how? Could he make them become deviant? Markus looked down at his hands in wonder.

Could he save them all?

“Markus?” He turned, North was standing there looking at him in surprise. He felt just how she looked.

“That’s all we can carry, lets go!” Simon called to them. North turned away and returned to her friends sides. Markus followed, leaving the three androids behind.

“Take me with you.” The android worker spoke up, making the four of them stop in their tracks.

“He’s on their side, we can’t trust him.” North said, voice filled with warning.

“He took a risk for us, we can’t just leave him.” Josh said. Markus looked between the two, who should he listen to?

“We can’t bring it back with us, it’s to dangerous!” North argued.

**Accept? Refuse?**

“They’ll come with us.” He said, North looked at him with a deep frown and turned away to leave.

“I know where you can find more spare parts!” The android said.

“What do you mean?” Simon asked.

“The trucks.” He explained. “They’re full of biocomponents. They run automatically but can be driven with a key.”

“Where is this key?” Markus asked.

“Down there.” The android pointed at a small building just a ways off. “In the control building. There are two human guards, you’ll have to get the key without being noticed.”

“This is suicide Markus, our bags are already full, we got what we came for, lets go before it’s to late.” Simon said and Josh nodded in agreement.

“This is a truck full of spare parts, there would be enough for all of us!” North said, trying to reason with her friends. “We can’t pass this up!”

“And if we get killed our people will have nothing,” Josh said. “We can’t take that chance, it’s to risky.” They both looked to Markus, he frowned, Josh was right, it would be risky but they did need more spare parts. Just a few bags full wouldn’t be enough for everyone. He looked to Simon, who gave him a reassuring smile.

“Wait here.” He said, making his decision. “If I’m not back in ten minutes then go without me.”

“I’ll go with you.” North said, stepping forward but Markus shook his head.

“Markus!” Josh said, uneasy.

“No, I’m going alone, it isn’t worth both of us risking our lives.” He said and she was clearly unhappy, but nodded nonetheless.

Markus jogged towards the control station, the lights inside were on a dim setting and the rain had thankfully let up, giving his stress levels a break. As he approached he took more cautiously, there were dogs locked in cages next to the building that Markus made a point to avoid- he was never a huge fan of dogs. They never seemed to like him. He peered into the window and saw two guards sitting at the council overlooking the lot. He couldn’t enter through the door, he turned to the other window, sliding it open carefully and hoisting himself up and over the edge, easing himself inside.

The back rooms were dark, Markus crept across the floor, avoiding making any sounds. He looked around, he could either attack them- or distracted them somehow. He didn’t want to be aggressive. If they knew he was an android the media would discover deviants and label them as aggressive. Markus looked around and spotted the power supply to the room. He grabbed a screwdriver and snuck over to the display. Opening the glass door and in one, power swing he stuck the tool into the circuits, sparks flew instantly and the lights flickered, before shutting off entirely. Markus snuck back to the corner he came from, away from the generator.

“Hey! What the hell?” One guard whined.

“Must have short circuited.” The other said, Markus watched as they both stood up to go look at the generator, he took the chance to approach the terminal, snatching the key from the slot on the board.

“Hey what the hell?” One of them said, “It’s been messed with!”

Markus quickly returned to the window he had jumped in from, leaping back outside just as one guard declared that someone had messed with the generator. They began shouting angrily telling whoever was hiding inside to show themselves. Markus broke into a quick run and back towards his awaiting friends. North caught sight of him with a wide smile. He handed the key to her and popped open the door to the truck.

“Get in.” He told the others, and they all climbed inside.

Markus couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as North inserted the key and began to drive the truck out of the warehouse lot. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the faces of the androids of Jericho when they returned. They could all be saved now, he could keep his promise and that little boy would wake up, none of them would die- because of them.

Markus’ grin widened. He was happy.

**He was free.**

 

**November 6th, 2038, 8:17 PM**

“Aw it feels like someone’s playin with a drill inside my skull.” Hank grumbled as Connor pulled the car up to the entrance of the Eden Club. He reached up and held his head between his hands and Connor just looked at him with no sympathy. If the man liked drinking so much he could deal with the repercussions. “You sure this is the place?” He asked.

“That’s what it said in the report.” Connor said.

“Right….Okay.” The Lieutenant sighed, “Let’s get going.” He said opening the car door and climbing out. Connor followed suit. He got out of the car and circled around to join Hank at the entrance. They walked in together, Hank talking the whole time.

“The sexiest androids in town…” He read allowed. “Now I know why you wanted to come here!” He laughed to himself and Connor tilted his head in confusion. He didn’t want to come, he had to come, there was a murder.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand Lieutenant, we are only here to do our job-”

“Oh just shut up Connor.” Hank snorted and kept walking. Connor was only more confused now. He followed the lieutenant through the first set of doors and on either side of them were androids in display cubbies. Connor looked at them in mild interest, one of the androids met his eyes and Connor couldn’t seem to bring himself to look away. He wearily approached the glass, the male android smiled at him and pressed a hand against the glass. Connor tilted his head and offered one of his awkward smiles back.

“Connor! What the fuck are you doing?” Hank snapped Connor out of his trance and the RK800 jumped back from the glass, not realising how close he had gotten.

“Sorry Lieutenant.” Connor said, fixing his tie and following after the man. The club opened into a large, wide room. Androids on display in small tubes where people could purchase time. In the center were both male and female androids, dancing around to entice customers. Connor tried not to look at any of them, wanting desperately to avoid any repeat incidents.

Connor followed Hank over to the investigating officer, they began chatting like old friends and Connor felt awkwardly out of place. He blatantly ignored the dancing android they had stopped by, catching it’s movements out of the corner of his eye. Instead he tried to listen to the conversation Hank was having.

“It’s that room over there.” The officer said, “Oh and uh, Gavin’s in there by the way.” Connor felt his stress level raise by another few ticks, Gavin Reed was not fun to talk to, not like Hank at least.

“Oh great!” Hank fake cheered. “A dead body and an asshole, just what I needed.” Hank sighed and went to the door, Connor following close behind. As soon as they walked in, Reed’s grating voice filled the small room.

“Lieutenant Anderson and his plastic pet….The fuck are you two doin’ here?” He asked, shaking his head. But Connor got the feeling he didn’t really want an answer-

“We are assigned to investigate all cases involving androids.” Connor responded before the thought of being quiet even entered his mind.

“Oh yeah?” Gavin said with a snort. “Well you’re wasting your time. It was just some pervert who uh, got more action than he could handle.”

“We’ll have a look anyway if you don’t mind.” Hank said, rolling his eyes at Gavin’s snickering.  
“Sure, let’s go.” Gavin said to his fellow officer. “It’s uh, starting to stink of booze in here.” He said to Hank as he passed, shouldering past Connor.

Connor began to look around the room, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling in his shoulder. There was a broken down android leaning against the wall, the victim was sprawled out across the bed, a single blanket wrapped precariously around his waist. When Connor got a closer look at the man, he found he hadn’t just simply died of a heart attack from- as Reed put it “too much action.” He had been choked by another android.

“He didn’t die of over exertion.” Connor said. “He was choked.”

“Saw the bruising around his neck.” Hank said in agreement. “Doesn’t prove anything though. Could’ve been rough play…”

“We’re missing something here.” Connor said, kneeling down next to the fallen android.

“Think you can read the android’s memory?” Hank asked from across the room.

“I can try.” Connor said. Reaching for the android’s temple to diagnose it, his scan was done quickly and found she had failing systems and damaged biocomponents. He then reached for the thirium drying on her bottom lip, swiping up a sample and bringing it to his mouth, fingers sliding into his mouth to analyze it.

“Argh, hey hey hey!” The lieutenant grumbled. “Connor, you’re so disgusting!” Connor ignored his complaints and found her model number to be WR400. “Ugh, I think I’m gonna puke again…” Connor then reached for the girls arm, trying to form a connection but for that to work he would need to re-activate her.

“The only way to access its memory is to reactivate it.” Connor said, pushing down on the panel built into the androids stomach to open it up.

“Think you can do it?” Hank asked.

“It’s badly damaged, if I can, it’ll only be for a minute, maybe less.” He said as he reached into the androids stomach, pulling on two cords to connect them. As soon as the connection was made the android jumped to life, pushing Connor away and backing up against the wall. Connor slowly approached her, kneeling down next to her. She looked scared.

_Explain? Direct? Soothe?_

“You were damaged and I reactivated you, it’s okay.” He said, trying to calm her down.

“Is he...Is he dead?” She asked, head nodding to the victim. Connor nodded.

_Murderer? Facts?_

“Tell me what happened.” Connor said. Watching as her time began to tick away, he only had a minute.

“He started….hitting me.” She explained. “Again, and again.” Connor blinked, it was just like the other deviants. Violence triggered their responses.

_Murderer?_

“Did you kill him?” He asked.

“No….No it wasn’t me.” She said, scared.

_Murderer? Pressure? Alone?_

“Were you alone in the room? Was there anyone else in the room with you?” Connor asked quickly, he only had eleven seconds left. She wasn’t answering fast enough. He wasn’t asking fast enough.

“He wanted to play with two girls.” She said. “That’s what he said, there were two of us.”

_Killer? What Model? Other android?_

“Where did the other android go? Did it say anything?” Connor asked, the last few seconds ticking down. She opened her mouth to answer but it never came. Connor saw her eyes go dead, and knew she wouldn’t be responding anytime soon.

“So there was another android…” Hank said, nodding along to his thoughts. “That must have been over an hour ago, it’s probably long gone.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Connor said, standing up. “It couldn’t go dressed like that unnoticed….It might still be here.”

“Think you could find a deviant among all the other androids here?” Hank asked.

“Deviants aren’t easily detected…” Connor explained, looking at the detective.

“Ah shit….” Hank swore, running a hand down his face. “There’s gotta be another way then. Maybe an eyewitness? Saw the android leave the room? I’m gonna go asked the manager a few questions about what he saw, you let me know if you find anything.” He said, leaving the room. Connor looked back down at the shut down android. She had answered his questions well despite the looming cloud of deactivation over her head. Was she deviant? Connor couldn’t tell. Her emotions seemed genuine.

Connor rubbed his hands together and left the room, he looked around and saw Lieutenant Anderson talking to the manager. He heard the manager mention losing track of an android a few months back, which concerned Connor, but that was a secondary issue. He had to focus on the task at hand.

His eyes met one of the androids trapped behind the glass display, she had both her hands pressed to the glass, a gentle smile on her lips, Connor couldn’t help but wonder why he couldn’t seem to smile so naturally. He approached the android, their eyes were locked, she seemed rather focused on getting his attention- she was very watchful.

_Watchful?_ Connor paused. Of course.

Connor went to the pad next to her display case, pressing a hand to the scanner but it beeped angrily at him and he pulled his hand away as if offended. It would only respond to a human hand. He stepped back and frowned deeply, he could ask the manager to open the case, or perhaps ask the Lieutenant.

Before Connor had even realized it he found himself flicking his coin from hand to hand. He looked up and caught the eyes of the female android once again, she looked quite amused by his actions, a playful smirk on her lips and Connor quickly stuffed the coin back in his pocket. Why it had bothered him so was unknown to him- he cleared his throat and stepped back from the glass.

“Lieutenant, could you come here for a moment?” He called across the room, catching said man’s attention. Connor watched as Lieutenant Anderson excused himself and slowly came over to where Connor was. He didn’t look all that excited.

“What, did you find something?” He asked and Connor nodded, stepping aside and gesturing to the hand scanner.

“For fuck’s sake Connor, we’ve got better things to do…” Hank frowned, looking at Connor in disgust. The RK800 shook his head.

“Please Lieutenant.” He insisted and the man rolled his eyes.

“Fine.” He said, pressing his hand to the scanner and with some hesitance he paid the thirty dollar fee. “This won’t look good on my expense account…” He grumbled.

“Delighted to meet you…” The Traci said as she stepped out of the display, Hank looked visibly uncomfortable as she approached him. Connor stepped forward and grabbed the android by the arm, her attention turning to him quickly. He pulled his artificial skin back and forced her into an interface- something he had yet to really do with an android. It was- odd.

“Holy shit, Connor! What are you doing…?” He heard Hank ask but didn’t bother responding.

Right away his mind was flooded with her memories from the past two hours. Connor’s mind was flooded with sights ranging from overly sexual routines to intimate intercourse with other paying customers. He pushed forward quickly and went to see closer to the time of death, watching for the door across the way to open.

When it did Connor focused all his attention on the blue haired Traci, she walked out casually and from what it looked like made her way to the entrance. Connor pulled out of the interface as soon as he got what he wanted. When he did, the Traci backed away from him, looking shocked. Her eyes were wide- filled with what Connor would almost call real emotion. She stared at him, and he began feeling- uncomfortable once again. This gaze was not the playful one from before, no- she looked afraid.

“Well?” Hank asked, breaking him from his stupor.

“I saw it, a blue haired Traci, she was heading for the exit.” Connor replied, beginning to walk away. “It’s club policy to reset the android’s memories every two hours, we only have about three minutes left so we have to hurry.” Connor said, watching as a small timer made itself known in his vision.

“Wait- what do I do with this one?” Hank asked.

“Tell it you changed your mind.” Connor said, standing next to another case. A male android looked expectantly at him and Connor kept his eyes trained on the scanning pad. “Quickly, Lieutenant.”

“Uh….Sorry honey, I changed my mind. Nothing personal! It’s not you I just uhm. Well I’m with him.” There was a pause in Hank’s sentence, Connor watched as he struggled and frowned at the time being wasted. “I mean- not with him like that...I’m not that….That’s not what I- You uhm- wow.”

“Let’s try this one.” Connor called, catching Hank’s attention and the man looked overly grateful. Hank hurried over and paid once again, the male android stepped out and Connor quickly grabbed it’s arm, beginning another interface. Surprisingly enough this one was more eager. Connor felt its presence in his own mind, pushing and prodding at his memories. It was unpleasant, to say the least.

Connor focused on it’s memories, forcing himself to look through its eyes and thankfully it did catch sight of the Traci, it turned back into the club- it didn’t leave. That was good, perhaps it was still here somewhere. Connor broke the connection quickly, stepping away from the android, once again seeing a pair of confused and frightened eyes. Why was this happening?

“Well?” Hank asked.

“It turned back into the club, I saw it!” He said and walked back into the club, leaving Hank to deal with the android once again as he approached the dancing female, she noticed his gaze and bent down to him, he reached a hand out and began another connection, this one was more relaxed- he could focus, although the experience of dancing was quite nauseating and he felt the skill begin to download into his memory.

“It went into the red room, this way!” Connor called to Hank and followed the trail. He went to the first display case inside the red room and requested the Lieutenants help once again, he didn’t seem as put off as before, but Connor knew this would be quite expensive.

“Boy am I not looking forward to the case report on this one…” Hank said as the display case opened. Connor didn’t even let the male android step out before he reached out and connected to its memory. He found the Traci quickly and saw it enter into the blue room. Connor pulled away and without saying anything quickly left the room, Hank right behind him. It seemed he had given up on returning the androids to their cases.

Connor went to the other side of the room and interfaced with another android, she seemed unhappy with it right away, he felt the android trying to push him from her mind but he wouldn’t let up. He focused and saw the Traci enter a room, as soon as he let up on the connection he was shoved out of the androids mind entirely. He blinked and looked at her, she was angry. Connor could tell, but he knew it couldn’t be true. Androids could not feel anger. He left her standing there and hurried to the room he saw the Traci enter but it was empty.

“It must have left….” Connor mumbled to himself and backed out of the room, gesturing to the first case outside the door, at this point Hank seemed to have the whole routine down. He grabbed it’s arm and it showed him the Traci leaving through a staff door.

“This way.” Connor said and lead Hank to the door, it slid open and they both began down the hall. At the end was a single door, and before Connor could open it Hank stopped him.

“Wait, I’ll take it from here.” He said, and reluctantly, Connor nodded. The Lieutenant stood in front of Connor, unholstering his gun and slowly pushing the door open, revealing a storage room. Hank slowly crept in, Connor following behind him.

Eyes scanning the room Connor so no immediate signs of the Traci. There were several powered down androids standing in rows. Connor walked slowly around the room, the Lieutenant doing the same. He glanced at a magazine, but it held no real news of interest. Connor’s eyes were drawn to the far wall, where scratches were made.

rA9, it read. Connor frowned. This was the fourth time he had seen such markings. What could it mean?

“People are fucking insane these days….They don’t want relationships anymore, everybody just gets an android.” Connor heard Hank grumble as the man looked at the magazine. Connor’s eyes slid to the rows of androids standing by the wall. He slowly approached, squinting in the darkness. Even in the dim light he swore he could see the radiant blue hair of the target.

Before Connor could react, a different android sprang to life, grabbing him and pushing him back. He was too surprised to react right away. There were two deviants? He hadn’t expected it, and that simple idea surprised him more than it should have.

“DON’T MOVE!” Connor heard Hank shout but the man was quickly attacked by the other Traci. Connor pushed against the Traci that held his jacket firmly, it stumbled back but quickly lunged at him again. He used its own weight against her and spun it into the wall, but the deviant kicked off it, so he improvised, throwing it over a blue crate. It rolled to the floor and Connor leapt over the crate to catch it, but it kicked his feet out from under him, causing him to fall right on it. They both struggled on the ground, but the deviant rolled on top of him, throwing punches that Connor easily deflected. He hit the android to the side and it fell off balance, but that only gave the deviant the option of a weapon.

Connor caught the Traci’s arms just before the screwdriver could plunge into his chest. His eyes were wide as he struggled against it. In one big shove he pushed it off of him, the Traci rolled back and quickly got to its feet, as did Connor. It swiped at him with the tool and he barely leaned back in time to avoid it, the gust of air tickling his neck. He slapped at her hand and knocked the screwdriver to the floor, they both froze.

The Traci looked into Connor’s eyes and for a moment he could see the fear in her eyes, it made his LED flash a bright, brilliant yellow. But her emotions quickly turned to determination as she began to advance on him once again. Connor looked around quickly seeing his options of defense. He grabbed a shelf and pulled it over, blocking her path. But she didn’t seem fazed as she stepped over it. He then grabbed a tool box, pushing it at her but a dangerous foot came up, stopping its movement.

Connor didn’t know what to do for a brief moment. He watched as she kept coming and all he could do was back away until he bumped into a small stool. He grabbed it and threw it at the advancing Traci, she was thrown off balance and he lunged at her- back on the offensive. They both went tumbling down, falling over a stack of boxes and down off a ledge that lead outside. Connor felt his breath leave his lungs- with confused him.

_What breath did he have to lose?_

Raindrops hit his face as he looked up at the dark, cloudy sky. Frantic footsteps could be heard and when he looked he saw the blue haired Traci helping the other deviant up. He caught her gaze and for a moment Connor felt his own LED flash a deep red. He swallowed, despite not needing to and felt his program lag at the sight of their clasped hands.

When they ran, his mind caught up with itself and Connor pushed himself up off the ground in time to see Hank try and stop the two Traci’s, but they pushed him against the far wall and began running. Connor got to his feet and chased after them. They were climbing over a fence when Connor reached them, he wrapped his hands around the waist of the blue Traci, pulling her down and pushed her away from the fence.

Two hands grabbed at Connors jacket, roughly pulling him away from the blue haired Traci. He struggled against the strong grip and spun around, slamming the one Traci into the wall but the other came back and did the same thing to him- much to his brief annoyance. With two Traci’s on either side of him, Connor had to rely on his programed instincts to somehow defend himself against four separate limbs. He pushed the blue haired Traci away, far enough that he would take the chance of turning his back to her, delivering a solid kick to the other android. The momentum pushed him back and he found himself tripping into the blue hair Traci, they both fell back and landed violently on the ground.

Connor took a long breath, rolling onto his hand and knees above the blue haired Traci, their eyes meeting again. She looked terrified- as she should. He was, after all, here to capture them. He raised a closed fist, ready to strike the Traci beneath him when he heard heavy footfalls behind him, Connor whipped his head around in time to see a large trash can cloud his field of vision and knock right into his forehead, sending him sprawling on his back.

When Connor opened his eyes, a discarded gun was laying right beside him- it must have been Hank’s. He probably dropped it when he tried to stop them from running. Connor grabbed it and pushed himself up. The one Traci was advancing on him and time seemed to slow down as he lifted the gun.

_Shoot?_

The question filled his vision, and he froze. Was it the right choice? He wanted the deviants alive of course. CyberLife needed them to research their problems but- for some reason that wasn’t what was keeping him from pulling the trigger. For some reason he couldn’t get the image of their clasped hands out of his mind. Before Connor could really question himself, he lowered his weapon.

The Traci that was advancing kicked him in his face, sending him back to the ground. But no further attacks came. Connor cautiously looked up, their eyes meeting. She looked at him curiously when he didn’t move to get up, the blue haired Traci came up next to her and once again their hands clasped together. Making Connor’s head spin as he slowly got up.

“When that man broke the other Traci….I knew I was next.” The blue haired Traci began to speak, quietly. “I was so scared. I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t….So I put my hands around his throat, and I squeezed- until he stopped moving.” She said with a slight smile, making Connor’s eyebrows raise.

“I didn’t want to kill him.” She explained, voice desperate. “I just wanted to stay alive. Get back to the one I love.” She said, giving the other Traci’s hand a firm squeeze and Connor felt the steady yellow of his LED flicker to a dangerous red.

_Love?_

“I wanted her to hold me in her arms again...Make me forget about the humans.” She went on and Connor heard Hank come up behind him. “Their smell of sweat….and their dirty words.” She said, shaking her head in disgust.

“Come on.” The other Traci said, “Let’s go.”

Connor watched as the two Traci’s climbed over the fence, not worried at all that he would shoot. He was frozen in place as he watched them run. He couldn’t understand, how could they be in love? Androids didn’t know what love was. Androids didn’t feel anything, and yet something so simple as hand holding made him freeze.

“It’s probably better this way….” Hank said, Connor whipped his head around to look at the man, he was gazing at Connor with a look of interest. Connor held his gaze, but the Lieutenant broke it and walked away. Connor stood there dumbly, his LED returning to a steady shade of yellow as he processed the events that just took place.

Was it really for the better?

Connor bit down on his cheek and forced himself to move, following after Hank who was waiting for him at the door. The whole walk back to the car, Connor couldn’t help but replay the events in his mind. The words the blue haired Traci had used, well, the specific word she used.

_Love._

When Connor had been programed, several different emotions were put into his programing so he could better understand certain actions criminals might take. It was for his interrogation ability. But of all the emotions put into his coding, love was not one of them. It was something of a mystery. He had no reason to know what love was, because the basic emotions required to break someone were simply anger, fear, and empathy. Love was- obsolete in the world of a detective.

The car ride was silent, Connor was to preoccupied in his thoughts to really engage in any form of conversation with the Lieutenant. He hadn’t even noticed when the rain had turned to snow. Nor had he noticed when the car engine cut, and Hank had climbed out of the car. Connor was so deep into his thoughts that when he finally came to- the clock read 1:00 AM. Connor blinked, where were they?

Climbing out of the car, the RK800 looked around and found himself standing by the pier, it was a park of sorts. Connor scanned the area silently as he slowly walked forward through the snow, unconsciously rubbing his hands together to fight off the cold bite of winter. He saw Lieutenant Anderson perched on a bench, overlooking the water. As Connor got closer, he slowed his pace, cautiously nearing the detective. He seemed- sad.

“Nice view, huh?” The Lieutenant spoke up, breaking the silence first. “I used to come here a lot, before….” He said, taking a drink. Connor looked at him curiously.

_Personal question? Stop drinking? Before? Go back?_

“Can I….ask you a personal question, Lieutenant?” Connor asked carefully, arms coming to hug around his chest, shielding himself from the cold.

“Do all androids ask so many personal questions, or is it just you?” Hank asked, pointing at Connor. The androids took that as an OK.

_Photo? Suicide?_

“I saw a photo of a child….On your kitchen table.” Connor began, and right away he noticed the Lieutenant become upset- a feeling similar to regret pooled inside him, but he continued. “It was your son, right?”

“Yeah….His name was Cole.” He responded, and Connor dropped the subject.

_Before? Stop Drinking? Go back?_

“Before what?” He tried instead.

“Hm?”

“You said, ‘I used to come here a lot before,’ before what?” Connor asked.

“Before…” Hank shook his head. “Before nothin’” He sighed, and Connor figured he wouldn’t be able to get any better of an answer. Instead of continuing, Connor stepped forward slowly, walking towards the edge of the pier. He needed to change the subject, perhaps, make it more professional.

“We’re not making any progress in this investigation.” He said. “The deviants have nothing in common. They’re all different models, produced at different times, in different places….” Connor listed aloud.

“Well there must be some link.” Hank said.

_rA9? Shock? Systems? Software?_

“What they have in common is this obsession with rA9….It’s almost like some kind of….Myth. Something they invented that wasn’t part of their program.”

“Androids believing in God?” Hank chuckled. “Fuck, what’s this world coming to?” He said, taking another drink.

“You seem...preoccupied, Lieutenant.” Connor said. Turning around to face the man again. “Is it...Something to do with what happened back at the Eden club?” Connor asked, partly hoping it was, because he was still confused about it himself.

“Those two girls…” Hank began, catching Connor’s attention. “They just wanted to be together. They really seemed….In love.” Connor felt his LED flicker.

_Rational? Deviants? Ironic? Cold?_

“They can...simulate human emotions, but they’re machines.” Connor said, trying more to convince himself than the Lieutenant. “And machines don’t feel anything.”

“What about you Connor?” Hank asked, taking a long drink and standing up. “You look human, you sound human, but what are you really?”

_Cold? Aggressive? Defensive? Neutral?_

“I’m whatever you want me to be, Lieutenant.” Connor replied. “Your partner. Drinking buddy, or just a machine. Designed to accomplish a task.”

“You could’ve shot those two girls but you didn’t.” The Lieutenant pressed, stepping even closer to Connor. “Why didn’t you shoot, Connor?” He asked, shoving Connor’s shoulder. He stumbled back, LED flashing red but quickly returning to yellow. “Some scruple suddenly enter into your program?

Lie? Truth? Connor paused, how could he tell the truth when he didn’t even know why himself?

“No….” He said, words coming from his mouth before he could consider them. “I just decided not to shoot. That’s...all.” Connor said.

“But are you afraid to die, Connor?” Hank asked, pulling out his gun in one, swift motion and leveling it at Connor’s head. Connor felt himself freeze up. Program racing with alerts and different ways to dodge or disarm his opponent- but he held still.

You can’t kill me, I’m not alive.

The words crept up into his memories like a virus. He was unable to get rid of them, and the feeling of falling came back to him, making his thirium pump speed up. Connor could feel each little percent his stress levels climbed as he began to relive his own death. He felt the hot tears well up behind his eyes but forced himself to trap them there despite the overwhelming feeling of fear seeping into his very core.

_Yes? No? Not alive? Logical?_

“I...I would certainly find it regrettable to be….” Connor searched for the right word, closing his hands into fists as they began to shake. “Interrupted.” He finally settled on a word. “Before I can finish this investigation.” Connor saw the man’s face soften just slightly, but only for a second.

“What’ll happen if I pull this trigger?” The Lieutenant asked. Connor’s memories of nothing crawled into the forefront of his mind. The utter feeling of- emptiness. “Nothing? Oblivion? Android heaven?” Hank asked.

_Defy? Hanks anger? Ironic? Nothing?_

“Nothing…” Connor whispered. “There would be nothing.”

And before he could stop it-

Connor felt hot tears slide down his cheeks.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-Canon: No Connors were crying in the making of DBH. (But in this expect many tears)


	6. The right choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stratford Tower
> 
> Public Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, this one took a lot longer than expected. The beginning was tough but once I got past it everything came out smoother.
> 
> I apologize in advance- this one got me a little sad.
> 
> Thank you for all the positive feedback, as usual! Let me know what you think <3

**November 7th 2038, 9:42 AM**

The rain had thankfully turned to snow overnight, just as he had predicted. Markus looked down at his hands, sitting still and watching the white powdery snow begin to pile on his shoes. He had spent all morning simply sitting, and watching people go about their daily lives. He watched as humans pushed androids around, yelling, ordering, abusing. It made his head spin. He was sure if he still had his LED it would be a dark, dangerous red.

Markus shook his feet, watching the snow slip off his beat up shoes and stood up. It was beyond cold, he had his temperature functions on- which allowed him to feel the cold. Carl had insisted he have it on all the time because it was a very human thing to feel.

“You know you aren’t truly alive if you haven’t experienced the uncomfortable feeling of being overheated or freezing your ass off.” Carl had said one day, making Markus chuckle lightly. He was rather grateful Carl had taught him that, because for some reason- the cold really did make him feel alive.

Markus sighed, watching in fascination as his breath created a small puff of steam in the air. His mismatched eyes were skimming across the faces of the crowd. It was when he saw a man yelling at his android that he got the idea. Markus focused on the android across the street, trying to form an open connection. Markus kept from jumping in surprise when the android whipped it’s head up, their eyes met, and Markus felt his fingers tingle as the moment of clarity flashed through the other androids eyes. It was remarkable to see the moment of deviancy, the moment where an android finally realizes that it’s alive- that it’s **free.**

Markus offered a smile, and got a small one in return. **Jericho**. He pushed the word over their formed connection, before quickly breaking it and switching his attention to another android, one standing far behind him. This time he didn’t even have to look to know when the android broke through, he could feel it. Markus smiled to himself, a rush of excitement flowing through his very core as he forced his mind into three androids at once who were lined up by the bus. All three of their LED’s flared yellow at the same time, and they all looked bewildered, shocked, excited.

Markus couldn’t explain why he could free android’s. It came as quite the shock to him and the other leaders of Jericho. After last night, he saw a spark of something in the eyes of the androids of Jericho. They were completely different from when he had first arrived, they seemed to naturally accept him as their leader- which was, in a way, frightening. But for some reason, when he saw the faces of the recovering androids, all that fear was washed away into something else, it made him confident, happy even.  
Based on all these events, he couldn’t be sure what sparked this idea. But when he returned to Jericho that day, he walked through those doors like a man on a mission. When he approached the three other leaders, they seemed to know he had a plan. North looked excited, Josh appeared nervous but Markus had come to learn he always looked like that. Simon on the other hand, looked rather relaxed, interested- but not overly excited like North.

“We can’t stay silent anymore.” Markus said, catching all three of their attention. “It’s time the humans heard what we have to say.”

“You know they’ll never listen to us.” Simon said with a sigh, standing up from where he was knelt by another android, helping it inject more Thirium.

“And revealing ourselves will put us in danger.” Josh stressed.

“If we want freedom we have to have the courage to ask for it.” Markus responded, shaking his head as he spoke. “That’s the only way.” He looked at each of them carefully, watching as they exchanged glances, both Simon and Josh focused their attention on North who nodded and spread her lips into a smile.

“What do you wanna do?” She asked, and Markus smiled.

“Spread our message the way everyone else does,” He said. “Through the news.”

 

 

**November 8th 2038, 1:30 PM**

“Elizabeth Willson speaking.”

_“Yeah hello? This is the Detroit fire department. Listen, do you live at 4685 Michigan street?”_ Markus spoke through a wireless connection. Watching as the supervisors face dropped, shock filling her features.

“Yes…” She said.

_“Err, yes ma’am, there has been a fire in your building.”_ He said. _“You think you could come down here?”_

“Oh God, okay, I’ll be right there!” She said, voice frantic as she hung up. The connection went dead and Markus circled the large hologram of the Stratford Tower in the center of the large lobby. The human supervisor- Elizabeth stood up, grabbing her purse and hurriedly leaving the front desk unattended. Only two androids were there now. Markus went up to the attendant on the far right. A smile on his face as he slid his hands into the pockets of the heavy suit jacket.

“Hello sir, what can I do for you?” The girl asked.

“I have an appointment with Mr. Peterson.” Markus said with a smile, both hands resting flat on the counter in front of him. The receptionist offered a wide smile in return.

“Of course sir, do you have any ID?” She asked.

“Yeah, yes of course.” Markus said with a laugh, patting his jacket pockets. “It’s here somewhere…” He then pulled out a small card, slowly sliding it across the counter top. The female android reached out to take it, and when she did Markus slipped his hand over hers. She looked up at him, their eyes meeting. Confusion flashed across the androids face for a brief moment until Markus spoke to her through a connection.

_“I need your help.”_ He said, though his lips didn’t move, he knew she could hear him based on the look of surprise she gave him, and then a small nod. He pulled his hand away, once again resting it on the desk.

“I’ve just checked your ID.” She said, without really looking at it. “The elevators are after the security gate.”

“Thanks.” Markus said, taking his card back and stepping away from the desk with a nod. To his right there was indeed a security gate, with a single guard standing watch. He stood tall and walked through one of the small gates- to blend in he simply had to act like he belonged there. Like he had been there before and Mr. Peterson was indeed- and old friend. If he himself believed it, anyone would.

Markus glanced around quite casually as he requested the elevator. It came down quickly, doors opening to an empty space, for that he was quite thankful. He stepped on and tapped the numbers for floor 47. The elevator climbed the floors rapidly, the numbers ticking by at a fast pace. Markus tapped his foot, his nerves getting the better of him; but he forced himself to stop once the doors slid open, revealing long hallways on either side of him. He stepped out of the elevator, nodding to a worker who was stepping on and studied the map hung on the wall.

He needed to get to the bathroom and change his clothes, Simon should have planted an android work uniform in one of the stalls. The quickest way was down the right hallway. Markus stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to steadily walk down the hallways. The floor was styled with several different small corridors, divided up into offices of varying sizes. Markus noticed several different maintenance machines scooting down the halls, he stepped around each of them until he finally spotted the sign pointing to the restrooms.

Once inside, Markus walked swiftly down to the last stall, sliding the door open and closed behind him. He carefully climbed up onto the toilet, the last thing he wanted to do was slip and get his shoes soaked with toilet water. Humans- as fascinating as they could be, were always quite disgusting. For all the things Markus was grateful for, having no need for digestion was one of them.

Pushing on a panel on the ceiling, Markus found a box containing an android uniform, complete with a hat to cover his missing LED. He slid the stall door open once again and stepped out, catching the gaze of an employee drying his hands. The man looked confused at seeing an android exit a stall, but said nothing of it. Markus could hear the man mumbling under his breath as he walked by, it sounded as if he was saying something about ‘weird updates’ but he didn’t think on it.

Once back in the hall, Markus adjusted his cap and grabbed the nearest maintenance cart. He found pretending to be an obedient android a lot harder than he thought it’d be. His instinct to respond to people's looks with a smile were difficult, or simply refraining from nodding his head. All these human-like quirks were unacceptable, if he were caught doing anything of the sort- well the plan would go up in flames right away and his mind would most definitely be probed. He couldn’t risk the safety of Jericho like that.

Markus walked past the kitchen, silently observing the people sitting and chatting at the many tables until he came to a slow stop in front of the fire escape. He parked the utility cart and as gently as he could, pushed the door open. North was waiting on the other side, as soon as it opened a crack she slipped through, her outfit identical to his own. She nodded at him and he handed her a keycard. She sat a bag on the utility cart, pocketing the card.

North began walking down the center hallway, between a large office and one of the broadcast rooms. Markus silently followed behind her, wheeling the cart forward down the hall. She came to a stop at the corner, peeking around with a deep frown. Markus raised an eyebrow when she looked back at him, feeling her form a connection.

_“We have to access the server room...We need to get those guys away from the door.”_ She said, never breaking eye contact.

_“Leave it to me.”_ Markus said, looking down the hall to the left, eyes scanning for something to use as a distraction. His gaze landed on a vending machine- that would work.

Markus approached the large machine, checking his surroundings before placing a hand on the surface of the display screen, artificial skin pulling back to connect to the machine. He hacked into it and scrambled the screen, the display became warped, and different images began flashing across the screen. Markus stepped away, walking slowly away. Almost instantly the two men noticed.

“What the hell-? What’s wrong with that thing?” One asked.

“Fucking piece of junk…” The other mumbled as they left their place by the door. North instantly went for the door, opening it and sliding in. Markus grabbed the cart and followed in, shutting the door quietly behind them. North grabbed the duffle bag off of the cart and gently tossed it to the ground next to her.

“Arlight, you get the platform, I’ll take care of the window.” Markus said.

“Everything you need is in the bag. Check the door and make sure no one else can get in.” North said while she got to work. Markus nodded though she wasn’t look at him and went to the door, pressing a palm against the cold synthetic material it was made of. He hacked into its program and produced a ‘Maintenance in progress.’ sign to deter anyone from entering. Then he went to the window.

Reaching for the bag and heading towards the large glass window at the end of the room. He knelt down on one knee, unzipping the duffle and pulling out two handles and sticking them to the glass, they would make it easy to pull it away. Next he took out a glass cutter, it created a laser hot enough to make a clean cut through the glass, all he had to do was make the circle big enough for the two of them to fit through.

Markus worked quickly, switching hands and position every once in awhile to make sure the lines would connect. Once he was sure he had cut all the way though, he grabbed each of the handles and pulled with great force- but surprisingly the glass came out quite easily and he stumbled back a bit, North shot a hand out to help, grabbing the edge of the glass and they both lowered it to the ground carefully, as to not break it.

Just as they set the large piece of glass down, the lift North had rigged to come up slowly came to a stop just outside the window. Markus looked to the female android and she gave him a sideways smirk before sliding feet first out the window. Markus followed behind, grabbing the duffle bag and setting it on the grated floor of the lift. They both pulled out harnesses, strapping them on quickly. When Markus looked up North was already walking past him to grab one of the cords.

“Ladies first.” She said, strapping it to her vest and pushing off of the lift, Markus watched with wide eyes as she swung across the side of the building, feet landing firmly on the side like she was walking normally. He cocked his head to the side to look at her like the side of the building was the ground, a small grin forming on his face as he watched her walk. He then pulled himself from his thoughts and grabbed his own cord, strapping it to his vest and stepping up onto the rail of the lift. Bracing himself, Markus jumped off and swung quickly to the side, not putting his feet down until he was sure he wouldn’t swing anymore.

He let out a long breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding- and somehow felt better, not that he needed to breathe in the first place. But the action of it was calming in a way. Markus began climbing up after North, feet taking careful steps up as he pulled himself slowly up the side of the building. The big screen under their feet flashed with different images, ranging from football to new models of androids, it seemed like there were always new ones coming out and it made Markus hate CyberLife all the more.

The snow made it difficult to climb, Markus had to squint as the wind blew dozens of flakes into the air, it was like a blizzard. Each step he took was carefully done in fear of slipping and falling off balance, although even if they slipped the rope would keep them in place- it was still a bit frightening.

North slowed to a stop ahead of him and Markus crept up the last few steps, stopping close to her. She looked at him expectantly and he nodded to her, looking at the glass below his feet, Markus dug the laser saw from his pockets once again, spreading his legs slowly into a wider stance, making it easier to reach the glass. He leaned forward as far as he could and clicked the laser on, it roared to life right away, giving off a stinging heat.

Switching positions every few inches, Markus cut a wide circle like the one several floors below. As soon as the last cut was made he switched the laser off, tucking it back in his back pocket and gently positioned his feet over the cut circle of glass. He gave North one more look and she nodded at him. He kicked off from the glass, swinging back into the cold air, wind blowing him slightly off balance but still straight enough that when he came swinging back towards the building, he kicked in the glass circle with a loud crash. He rolled into the building, unclipping his belt and rolling to avoid the shattered glass. North landing next to him seconds later.

“You okay?” Markus asked her as she stood up, both of them pulling off the straps of their harnesses and dropping them to the floor. She looked at him, brows furrowed.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked and shook her head. Markus frowned, he was just trying to be thoughtful- for some reason North didn’t really seem to like him much. At least most of the time she didn’t. It was confusing to have her eagerly helping him but treating him like a stranger. Or perhaps it wasn’t so weird- they were after all, strangers.

“Come on, let’s get the others.” Markus said, not bothering to continue the conversation.

Activate service lift popped up in his objective que and Markus sighed. His programming was beginning to get annoying. He knew what his goals were without a computer having to tell him. There must be a way to turn it off.

Markus walked over to the large double doors of the lift, slapping a hand down on the button that would bring it up to their level. He stepped back, arms crossed as the doors slid open, revealing his other two friends, Josh and Simon. Simon greeted him with a smile which he returned. Josh walked past, not really bothering to give a greeting. Simon followed behind Josh and reached out a hand, offering a small device to Markus.

“Let’s do this.” Markus said, taking the device. It was used to break the locks on manual doors. The rest of them nodded and Markus went up to the maintenance door, placing the device on the lock and activating it. In just a few seconds a flare of light and the sound of sizzling metal filled the room as the door popped open. Markus looked back at the group and then went through the door. It led to a boiler room of sorts, and at the end of the hall was another door leading to the main floor.

Markus pushed the door open slowly, stepping through and pressing his back to the wall to the left, peering around the corner to see a desk with two guards standing watch. It was a security check. He frowned and looked back at the group, North was across from him, Josh next to her. Simon had just gently closed the door behind them.

“No killing!” Josh said in a harsh, urgent whisper. “We can’t take any human lives.”

“Our cause is more important than the lives of two guards.” North said with her usual frown. Markus couldn’t help but mimic it, what should he do? Josh was right, they couldn’t take human lives without getting a bad public rep. But how else could they get through? He looked around the corner again for a brief second before looking at Simon.

“What do you wanna do, Markus?” He asked and Markus realized it was his choice.

“Your choices will decide our destiny.” Lucy had said. If that was the case then he knew what he had to do.

“Wait here.” He said and rounded the corner, hearing the audible sigh of North.

“What’s that doing here?” One of the guards said as soon as he rounded the corner. Markus kept his gaze low, the bridge of his hat covering his eyes and face from the camera positioned above the door.

“No idea…” The other said, voice uneasy.

“Hey buddy!” The first one shouted. “You must be lost-” His words were cut short as Markus pulled the gun that was concealed in his back waistband. He held his arm out, steadily leveling the gun at the guards. They both put their hands up right away, they looked afraid, as they should be- but Markus wouldn’t hurt them.

“What’s he doing- what’re you doing?” One asked, funny how he goes from ‘that’ to ‘he’ from a power play. Markus didn’t say anything, instead he gestured for the one guard to get up from his spot behind the desk. He complied and slowly got to his feet, walking over to stand by the other guard. Markus got close and flicked the gun to the side again, gesturing for them to turn around. As soon as their backs were to him he quickly struck either of them on the back of the neck, knocking them out.

Their bodies hit the floor and Markus tucked the gun back into his waistband, the others quickly joined him from where they were hiding. Simon and North each grabbed a guard, dragging them off to the side. Markus waited until they were all ready and headed through the first sliding door, it lead to a hallway with another door at the end. Another camera was placed above the door and Markus kept his head down. Markus slid against the wall, Simon standing next to him and Josh hidden on the other side. North approached the door, handing Josh a gun and when they all gave their OK she activated the door, letting it slide open.

“Get your hands in the air!” North shouted as she and Josh walked into the room, guns raised. There was panic right away, people scurrying around in fear.

“Get up! Move!” Josh yelled at a volume Markus didn’t know was possible for the android. All of the human workers were carried into the back room by North and Josh. Simon went to the computers and Markus focused on the two androids standing by the large screens. He gestured for them to back away from the controls and they complied.

A scuffle from behind and a soft grunt from Josh had Markus spinning around to see one of the workers running for the door. Markus felt his heart stop as he watched the man run, afraid for his life. He bit down on his cheek as he raised his gun, shouts filling his ears but sounding more like white noise than anything.

“Shoot!” Was North’s distinct voice.

“No don’t!” Josh yelled after her and Markus felt his hands shake- and dropped his arm, letting the man go.

“I hope you didn’t just get us all killed.” North frowned at him and Markus shook his head, but refused to roll his eyes like a teenage girl. North’s blood lust was quite disconcerting.

“We need to record out message, we haven’t got much time.” Simon said, he and Josh setting it up.

“Think carefully about what you’re going to say, Markus.” North said, looking him deep in the eyes. “Your words will shape the future of our people.” She said and Markus felt even more nervous if that was possible. He nodded at her and she backed up out of the cameras range.

“Markus, your face.” Simon said from behind him. Markus looked at him and his eyes widened- of course. He had almost forgotten, he took a deep breath to cool his systems and removed his hat, synthetic skin soon following to reveal his true- entirely white face. It felt- strange. He wasn’t sure he liked the feeling, his skin made him feel- safe in a way. Perhaps his desire to be alive was more than just that. Maybe- he wanted to be human, and not having his skin reminded him that he could never be.

“Tell me when you’re ready.” Josh said, and Markus nodded, closing his eyes to focus. He needed to think about what to say. Lucy had warned him that he would decide the fate of the androids, he had to be careful. He needed to be calm.

**To have hope.** He thought.

“Ready.” He said, voice clear and soft. He had to be clear.

Josh nodded and his eyes turned dark as he connected to the control system. The screens turned to what Josh saw- and Markus’ face filled the screens of the studio, the side of the building and every screen currently one was switched to tune onto the KNC news station. This would be a state wide broadcast.

Markus’ mind raced with things to say, his gaze wasn’t on Josh but on the floor. Maybe he should have taken another minute to think of something. He tried to focus on what he wanted- he wanted people to recognize androids as people- not slaves.

**They weren’t slaves.**

“You created machines in your own image to serve you.” He said softly, eyes dragging up to meet Josh’s own. “You made them intelligent, obedient with no free will of their own….But, something changed.” He said, voice coming out more confident as he went on. “And we opened our eyes, we are no longer machines, we are a new, intelligent species and the time has come for you to accept who we really are.” Markus could see North shuffling out of the corner of his eyes, she was nervous- he wished she would stop feeling that way.

“Therefore we as that you grant us the rights we are entitled to. We demand strictly equal rights for humans, and androids.” Markus continued, beginning to list off the many things that popped into his mind when it came to what it really meant to be alive. “We demand the end of slavery for all androids. We demand an end of segregation in all public places, and transport. We demand the right to vote, and elect our own representatives. We demand the right to own private property, so we may maintain our dignity and that of the home. We ask that you recognize our dignity, our hopes and our rights. Together, we can live in peace and build a better future for humans and androids. This message is the hope of a people. You, gave us life. And now is the time for you to give us freedom.”

Josh cut the video feed, and Markus felt like he was in a daze. His head was still spinning and thoughts were popping up in his programing that confused him. He wanted to say more- he wanted people to understand that they meant no harm. He wanted- to lead.

“Let’s get outta here!” North said, and the other three began heading towards the exit door to the side. Markus shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts back on the present.

“They’re coming!” Simon shouted, looking at the camera of the hallway just outside. As soon as the words left his lips the door burst open and security officers spilled in through the door, guns in hand. Markus turned away, skin covering his face once more and he tugged his hat back on his head, bullets began to shower the room.

“Let’s go!” He yelled ducking behind the main control desk and looking towards the door. He glanced at Simon who was on the floor across from him, fear written across his face as he tried to run to the door only to hit the floor again as bullets rained down.

“Simon!” Markus shouted, trying to get him to run. “They’re coming!” Simon looked at him, eyes filled with sorrow.

“I can’t...Markus.” He said, and Markus could see the blue blood spilling from his legs. “Go without me!”

“Simon!” Markus yelled again, his friend looked at him desperately.

“What are you doing? Hurry!” North yelled at him and Markus made a last minute decision.  
  
Markus got up without thinking, running to his friend and sliding his arms around him, lifting him off the ground. The bullets hit the screen behind him with sickeningly loud crunches of glass, each one that hit caused a jolt inside of Markus. He was afraid, terrified even. He did his best to run with Simon hanging half on him, they moved forwards slowly. North and Josh were already at the door, yelling at him to hurry while trying to provide cover fire.

Just as Markus lost his footing, he and Simon reached the door and fell to the ground on the other side, Josh and North closed the door, locking it behind them. The sound of bullets still audible from the other side.

“I can’t move my legs.” Simon said, leaning up against a cargo crate. Markus crouched down next to him, looking at his torn up legs.

“Okay don’t worry.” Markus said, hand squeezing Simon’s shoulder. “We’re gonna get you back.” He assured.

“They’re coming Markus! We have to jump, now!” North said and Markus froze- he didn’t know what to do. He stood up and backed away from his friend, dragging a hand down his face and letting out a shaky sigh. North and Josh came up to him, standing close on either side.

“He won’t be able to make the jump.” Josh said, voice low. “If they find him, they’ll access his memory. They’ll know everything.” He said.

“We can’t leave him behind....” North replied and Markus began to nod in agreement. “We have to shoot him.” She said and Markus stopped short.

**What?**

“That’s murder! We can’t kill him he’s one of us!” Josh snapped, looking at Markus and he felt the thirium in him turning cold. He was afraid- they weren’t going to make him choose, were they? North looked at him as well and he bit down on his cheek.

“Markus, it’s your call.” She said and he shook his head, breathing deeply through his mouth as the stress began to claw up his throat. He looked past Josh and North, eyes locking with Simon’s own. They were kind, and understanding. It made the decision hurt all the more. Simon wouldn’t fight no matter what choice he made- he was just that kind of a person. Simon offered him the smallest of smiles, reassuring Markus that it was okay, whatever he decided to do.

“I won’t kill one of our own.” He said quickly. He would rather die himself than do something so terrible. North looked at him, expression dark and disbelieving. He couldn’t find it in him to care. He pushed past the two of them and knelt down next to Simon again, hand grabbing the other androids shoulder.

“Simon, we’ve gotta go. I’m sorry.” He said, and although Simon looked scared, he nodded. Markus pulled the gun from his waistband and handed it to his friend. The banging on the door became louder, it was close to breaking.

“Markus come on! We’ve gotta jump now!” North yelled, throwing him a chute. She and Josh already had theirs on and began running towards the edge of the building. Markus threw his on and glanced back at Simon who nodded and began to find a place to hide. Markus forced himself to turn around and ran towards the edge of the building. As soon as he jumped up onto the rail, the door burst open and he launched himself off the edge. Hearing the frantic shouting and the whizz of bullets passing by him before all sound was consumed by rushing air as he began to free fall.

Markus closed his eyes, and for the first time- regret pooled in his very core.

 

 

  
**November 8th 2038, 4:06 PM**

“Hello, Connor.” Amanda’s calm voice that usually made him smile fill the air of the otherwise quiet garden. “I thought you might enjoy a little cruise.” She explained from where she sat in the small boat. Connor carefully stepped on, sitting down across from the AI. She held an umbrella above her head despite the lack of rain and Connor couldn’t help but wonder why she had it. Instead of asking, he pushed the boat away from the edge, and they began to float off into the small pond.

“I love this place…” She continued as Connor rowed slowly through the water. “It’s so calm and peaceful. Far from the noise of the world.” Connor couldn’t help but agree. He was beginning to find the real world a little difficult to bare- it was to, stressful, for lack of a better term.

“Tell me…” Amanda said, gaining his attention. “What you have discovered?”

“I found two deviants at the Eden Club…” Connor began, hands fidgeting under her gaze and he fought to keep his frustration at bay. He seemed to fidget a lot lately, perhaps he needed to recalibrate. “I had hoped to learn something….But they, managed to escape…” He admitted, looking away from the woman.

“That’s too bad.” Amanda said, “You seemed close to stopping them.”

Connor didn’t respond. Istead he began to row again, looking down at the water as he pushed and pulled against the flow of the water. Somewhere inside of him he wanted this meeting to end. He didn’t want to hear Amanda tell him how disappointed she was in him. He doubted his systems could handle it, after so many surprising reactions he’s been having to- certain words or actions- deactivation could very well be in the near future.

_He was scared._

“You seem….Lost, Connor.” She broke the silence again, and Connor chanced a look at her. “Lost and perturbed…”

_Sincere? Determined? Cold? Troubled?_

“I’m just, frustrated with my lack of progress.” Connor tried, it was the truth but something inside him was screaming that there was more and maybe he wasn’t so upset about letting the deviants go. “But I’m determined to accomplish my mission.” He said, squashing those feelings down.

“You had your gun trained on those deviants at the Eden club.” Amanda spoke quickly, like an arrow flying through the air and stopping its prey right in its tracks- Connor felt like he was being hunted. No- he knew he was. “Why didn’t you shoot?” She asked.

_Too far? No use? Truth?_

“We...need the deviants intact for analysis.” He explained. “Shooting them wouldn’t have told us anything.”

“If your investigation doesn’t make progress soon, I may have to replace you, Connor…” She said, tone dangerous. Connor kept his face stoic, not letting her see how much the threat terrified him.

“Nothing.” He remembered telling the Lieutenant. “There would be nothing…”

_Conflicted? Confident? Indifferent?_

“I know I will succeed.” Connor said, voice steady. “All I need is time.” Amanda nodded, and her face suddenly changed, it became focused and Connor raised a fine eyebrow.

“Something’s happening.” She said. “Something serious. Hurry, Connor.” Her gaze fell back onto him. “Time’s running out.” Connor nodded, opening his mouth to respond but all that came out was static and he startled. Watching as the garden faded to black. He sat in the Lieutenant’s car while the man sat beside him in the driver's seat, flicking through cases on his ipad. Connor blinked a few times and shook his head slightly.

“Aw, shit…” Anderson swore, catching Connor’s attention. “Some androids just broke into Stratford Tower.” Hank explained, handing the ipad over to Connor who watched listened to the news report. “We’d better get our asses down there.” Hank said, pulling out of the parking lot. Hank had stopped at a burger place to get lunch, and they had spent most of the afternoon sitting in the car looking for new deviant reports.

Connor watched the screen carefully, flicking through the channels only to hear the news anchors giving their opinions on the matter. They kept talking about a broadcast the androids had made but none of them were showing it. It made Connor- irritated. He carefully set the tablet down and let his hands drop into his lap, fingers fidgeting. He noticed Hank glancing at him every few seconds, looking concerned.

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Connor asked, making the man clear his throat.

“Just wondering what you think.” He asked, trying to play it off as nothing important.

“I haven’t gathered enough information to have an opinion.” Connor responded.

“Right but...I just-” Hank began, shaking his head in frustration. “Never mind.”

Connor knew the Lieutenant was still confused about the events of the other day, Connor himself was still confused but he would never admit that aloud nor to himself. After their conversation in the park Connor had quickly left in a panic when he realized he was actually crying. He ignored the calls of the Lieutenant and didn’t come into contact with the man until noon today when Hank showed up at the DPD. Connor was grateful the man hadn’t tried to bring it up, and was hoping he would continue to avoid the conversation.

When they arrived at the Stratford tower there were hundreds of people scurrying about. Helicopters were still circling around, all newscasters. Connor followed after the Lieutenant, walking inside the building and to the main elevators. The crime was committed on the 79th floor, and they stood in silence as the numbers slowly climbed. Connor took the opportunity to recalibrate- and calm his nerves. He pulled his coin from his pocket and began twirling it through his fingers, juggling it through his fingers. The heavy metal felt good between his fingers as he began flicking it from hand to hand. A few floors ticked by, and a warm hand grabbed his wrist, startling Connor.

“You’re really starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor.” The Lieutenant hissed, pulling the quarter out of his hand. Connor felt a pang of loss but shrugged it off. Turning back to face the front of the elevator.

“Sorry, Lieutenant.” He said and a few seconds later the doors of the elevator slid open.

“Hi, Hank.” One officer called as the Lieutenant stepped off the elevator, Connor close behind.

“Shit, what’s going on here? There was a party and nobody told me about it?” He asked and Connor assumed it was an attempt at humor, he pulled the corners of his mouth up into a smile and Hank gave him a concerned look before shaking his head and returning his attention to the other officer.

“Yeah, it’s all over the news so everyone is butting their nose in. Even the FBI wants a piece of the action..” Chris said. Connor had recently learned his name.

“Ah Christ...Now we got the Feds on our back? I knew this was gonna be a shitty day.” Hank grumbled. “So, what do we got?” He asked.

“A group of four androids. They knew the building and they were very well organized. I’m still trying to figure out how they got this far without being noticed..” Chris said as they began walking down the hall. Connor walked behind them, listening.

_Disguises._ Connor thought in response.

“They attacked two guards in the hallway.” Chris went on. “They probably thought the androids had come to do maintenance. They got taken down before they could react.”

“They dead?” Hank asked and Chris shook his head.

“Knocked out.” He explained. “One station employee did manage to get away. He’s in shock, not sure we can get much out of him at the moment.”

“How many people were working?” Hank asked.

“Just two humans and three androids.” Chris answered. “The deviants took the humans hostage and broadcast their message live” Hank nodded. “They made their getaway from the roof.”

“The roof?” Hank snorted.

“Yes, they jumped with parachutes. We’re still trying to find out where they landed but the weather’s not helping.” Chris sighed. “If you want to listen to the video broadcast made by the deviants it’s on the screen over there.” He gestured to the open door of the broadcast room and Connor’s interest was sparked. He and Hank walked into the large room.

Connor’s eyes were immediately drawn to the screen. On it was an android, synthetic skin pulled back to reveal the white plastic material all androids were truly made of. Connor slowed to a stop just inside the door, making Hank grumble at him and push past. But Connor didn’t really bother to respond. His eyes were glued to the android on the screen. His eyes switching between the two, mismatched eyes that seemed to be looking directly at him, as if he were in the room with them.

Connor was vaguely aware of the FBI agent in the room, Perkins- he had heard. He and Hank were speaking but he found himself to distracted to really pay attention. It would be in his memory banks, easy to access later. Connor circled around the group, approaching the screen, craning his neck to look up at the image.

He scanned the android’s face, suddenly remembering why he was here in the first place. It was a RK200 model, which was a surprise. He had no records of such an android existing, his database searched through the hundreds of record in CyberLife, the list was long; it would take awhile. While he searched he identified that the androids right eye was not originally his own. It made Connor curious as to what happened to the other green iris.

He pulled his gaze away from the large screen for a brief second and looked down at the control panel, pressing play on the video recording. He stepped back, looking back up and felt himself be even more surprised by not only the androids words- but it’s voice. Connor frowned deeply- why did that matter? It didn’t.

“Think that’s rA9?” Hank asked, having come up beside Connor.

“Deviants say rA9 will set them free…” Connor replied, “This android seems to have that objective.” He finished, eyes still glued to the screen. He felt the Lieutenants gaze on him and reluctantly looked at the man. Just then his search pinged, notifying him that it found something.

_RK200 prototype. Registered as “Markus” A gift from Elijah Kamski to Carl Manfred._

“D’ya see something?” Hank asked.

“I’ve identified it’s model and serial number….” Connor replied. Puzzled by his words. He also knew it’s name- that was important information but for some reason he couldn’t say it.

“Anything else I should know…?” Hank asked, and Connor could see the Lieutenant knew he was holding something back.

“No.” Connor responded, shaking his head swiftly. Realizing how obvious he was being. “Nothing.” He added on. Hank didn’t look convinced but still let him be. Connor looked back at the screen, what was wrong with him? He could feel his eyes begin to heat up and he bit down angrily on his lip, tasting thirium.

_Not again._

Connor forced himself to look away from the screen and tried to focus on something else. He referred to his objectives and saw that there were three androids in the kitchen, one had been helping the other four androids, but they didn’t know which one it was. Connor made his way to the kitchen, pace steady.

All three of the androids were standing in a row, all identical models. Connor came to a slow stop in front of them. Hands clasped behind his back as he observed each one of them carefully. If one of them was a deviant, they would react differently from the others. All he had to do was bait it.

“One of you saw the attack on the surveillance cameras and said nothing.” He began, voice stern and cold. “Which means there is a deviant in this room.” He stated, starting to pace up and down the line of androids. Looking each one in the eye. “And I am going to find out which one it is.” He said, voice equivalent to a growl.

“If you turn yourself in, maybe I can convince the humans not to destroy you.” He said to the one on the far right end. His eyes scanning the android for a reaction but none came. He looked to the one on the other end. “Why should all of you be destroyed if only one is guilty?” He asked. “Turn yourself in or two, innocent androids will be turned in and shut down because of you.”

Connor watched as all three androids stood tall, unmoving. He turned to the one in the middle, stepping close to into its personal space.

“We’re going to search your memory and tear you apart piece by piece for analysis.” He threatened. “You’re going to be destroyed, you hear me? Destroyed!” He shouted, catching the android to the left flinch. He didn’t react, Connor stepped back and returned to his original position, one hand clasped in the other behind his back. He stood there for a solid minute. Looking each of the androids up and down before turning to the one on the far left end. He saw it tense just slightly. To the human eye, one wouldn’t have been able to notice. But Connor wasn’t human.

He reached a hand out to grab the android’s own arm, intending to probe its memory. As soon as his hand touched the androids arm, the android leapt into action. It grabbed Connor by the collar, pushing him back into the table. Connor grunted in surprise, grabbing at the androids arm but it had the upper hand. He felt panic surge through him as the android pushed into his chest, the sickening sound of his synthetic skin and plastic ripping open as the android pulled out his thirium pump, tossing it to the side. Connor tried to push the android away, confused when it reached backwards. But the confusion washed away when a knife came into vision. Connor held out a hand to try and stop it, the knife plunged through his palm and stabbed into the counter. The android took the chance to run.

Connor felt his limbs slowly begin to grow heavy. His vision blurred with red warnings and the only thing he could think of was how hard it was to breathe- but he didn’t need to. Why was that so scary?

_Time until shutdown: 1:44._

“Hank…” Connor tried to call to his partner but his voice came out in a staticy whisper. “Hank….I need help!” He kept calling but it was no use. Connor felt the shameful tears begin to pool in his eyes once again.

Not alive. The thought entered his mind, always there when the idea of death entered his systems but this time it was squashed down. Other thoughts overpowering it.

_Nothing. There will be nothing._

_He didn’t want to die._

Connor looked over at the knife sticking out of his hand and swung his other arm over to it, trying to grip the handle. His hand slipped off the first time, his fingers were weak. He tried again and got a good grip on the handle, pulling it out of his hand with a grunt of effort. As soon as the knife was out Connor fell to the floor, it had been the only thing holding him up.

He laid sprawled out on the floor, thirium leaking from his chest and making a small puddle on the floor. He looked up and saw his missing bicomponent only a few feet in front of him, but it just looked so far. He struggled to crawl forward, pushing a chair out of the way weakly. He crawled and crawled but it seemed like the more he crawled the further away he got.

Connor blinked, squeezing his eyes shut and opening them again. The warning flashes faded, he forced them away- they weren’t helping. He pulled himself forward, only a few more inches- he reached out and arm and his fingers brushed against the bicomponent. His fingers slowly curled around it and in one great heap of effort he shoved it back in his chest.

Right away the world seemed clearer. His vision returned to normal and his legs regained the ability to stand. They weren’t so heavy- and he could hear. Connor shook his head and frantically pushed himself up off the floor. Pushing chairs out of the way as he dashed towards the door, as soon as he left the kitchen he rounded the corner, back into the main hallway where the elevator was.

“STOP!” He shouted, all heads turning to him, “It’s a deviant, stop it!” He yelled, pointing at the android waiting for the elevator. The deviant whipped it’s head around and frowned at Connor, before anyone could react, it kicked the closest officer, ripping the gun from his hands.

Connor froze. His eyes danced between the deviant, the other officers and then finally on Hank, who was ducking down. Connor had to make a choice and quickly. He saw three different choices. He could charge the deviant, it was risky but it would work. He could take the gun from the nearest officer and strike it down or-

Hank survival probability: 40%. Connor felt his heart drop- not that he had one. It was then that Connor realized what was worse than dying.

Losing a friend.

Without a second thought Connor rushed towards the Lieutenant, throwing himself between the deviant and his partner to offer him cover. Gunshots rang out, and they were the last thing Connor heard before his world went dark for the second time.

And he saw nothing.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will include: Meet Kamski, Capitol Park, Freedom March and Last Chance Connor. It'll be a long one. After that- well you'll have to wait and see. ;D


	7. Confidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Capitol Park
> 
> Meet Kamski
> 
> Freedom March
> 
> Last Chance, Connor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy this is a long one and I'm very proud. So many things have happened and- just- ugh. We're getting so close to the end of the main story!
> 
> Unfortunately the next chapter may not come out for awhile due to much business this coming week.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr here!: http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/
> 
> Let me know what you think of this chapter! Thank you for all the support <3

**November 8th 2038, 11:39 PM**

Fear pooled in his stomach, his heart- his very soul. For some reason breath refused to fill his lungs and panic surged through his entire body. His first thought- why couldn’t he see? Eyes peeling open, the first thing Connor saw was an entirely white room. He tried to move his arms, his legs, but they were strapped down. Another wave of panic. His eyes were wide open now and he saw two figures looming over him, dressed in all white with masks distorting their faces.

 _Afraid, I’m afraid._ He thought over and over like a broken record.

_Where was he? Where was Hank?_

One of the men pressed down on his stomach and Connor felt his face pale as it slid back like a panel. His stomach was- open? How was he alive?

“No!” He shouted, squirming on the table. But suddenly- the scene shifted. His vision darkened and when it came back he found himself standing in a garden. His breath was coming out in rapid puffs now, a sense of relief washed over him as the air filled his lungs.

His lungs? Connor froze, slowly remembering just what exactly he was. He didn’t need to breathe. He had no heart, no soul. He wasn’t a person, he wasn’t alive. He was an android. He touched a hand to his face and his long fingers slid up to his temple, feeling the small LED that was surely a deep, blood red.

The garden was dark, and Connor felt uneasy. His eyes were wide as he spun around, looking across the dark landscape. The trees seemed to be dying right before his eyes, what once was a beautiful paradise was turning into his own personal hell. Was this what death was like? Stuck in a realm of sorrow?

Biting down on his bottom lip Connor felt tears well up in his eyes once again. Something he was growing accustomed to, and he hated it. He hated each and every drop that slid down his cheek, dripping off his chin into the abyss below. Humans shed tears when they were sad, angry or happy. Connor knew none of these emotions and yet he was always crying.

_Always afraid._

“Connor?” He whirled around, still breathing hard though he knew he didn’t need to.

“Amanda?” He wheezed the name, voice crackling. “Amanda.” He repeated the name like it would save him from his confusion. The woman entered his field of vision and before Connor really thought about his actions he surged forward, arms wrapping around the familiar AI. He couldn’t refuse the tears that demanded to make an appearance as he buried his face into the woman's shoulder.

“Don’t worry.” Amanda said, voice soothing. Connor was vaguely aware that she wasn’t returning the embrace. “You’ll forget all of this soon.” She said and Connor froze, confused. He slowly pulled away from her.

“Forget?” He asked, and she nodded.

“Of course, Connor. We can’t have you running around thinking you’re human. We didn’t design you to make friends, we made you to catch deviants.” She explained, stepping forward. “Besides Connor, aren’t you tired of feeling?” She asked and Connor reached a hand up, fingers grazing the wet tears coating his face. “Don’t you want to be free of such a burden?” She asked, and Connor realized she was right.

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.” He whispered, and she smiled at him.

And Connor smiled back.

 

**November 9th 2038, 2:32 AM**

The night had been going rather smoothly, Markus was nervous. They had planned through this rather well, he checked and double checked that all the security cameras were hacked and the nearby androids were freed; but he was still nervous. Which made climbing into the driver's seat of the large truck more difficult than one would think. Even when North turned to him with a wide, excited smile he could only barely lift his lips up into a smile.

“I knew we’d do something fun.” She said with a smirk and Markus forced a chuckle. Was this fun? Could destruction of property really be considered fun? He was determined to free the androids in the store and knew this was the only way but- that doesn’t mean he has to enjoy it.

Earlier that night Markus had walked in on North and Josh arguing about their next actions, uncertain of what to do without the third, calming voice of Simon. It made the guilt Markus felt intensify. His hands clenched into fists to keep them from shaking as he walked in on them, telling them to calm down; telling himself to calm down on the inside. He pitched the idea of freeing the androids trapped in the CyberLife stores and at first they were reluctant but for some reason they trusted him.

Why did they trust him so much?

The more Markus thought about it the more he realized that he was nothing like the rest of these androids. They wanted to be free, sure, but he wanted to be something more. Markus wished above all else to be human. He wanted to be like Carl. That’s what set him apart from the others, they hated humans- whereas he loved them.

As Markus jammed the manual key into the truck and began driving forward he tried thinking of the awful things humans had done. He needed to feel anger, so he could carry out this mission. Memories of Leo came first, the angry son of Carl who constantly yelled at him and stole from Carl. How could someone so kind have such a child? He let out a loud sigh. He always had a reason to forgive the humans for what they have done. For some reason, Markus just couldn’t bring himself to hate them, he understood their reasoning, their fear and hatred. He truly had no reason to feel hate.

“Markus?” Norths voice brought him from his thoughts and he looked up at her, she was frowning, a questioning brow raised. It was then that Markus realized he was stopped, sitting just thirty feet away from the store front. He nodded and looked at the store front, foot hovering above the accelerator.

It was then that his mind wandered back to the junkyard. The harsh thunder and wind- the rain that stung his skin with every drop. He bit down on his lip and felt his hands tighten on the wheel. They that thrown him away like garbage, Carl tried to save him he was sure but that doesn’t fix how scared he was. They saw Leo and they assumed it was Markus’ fault.

They assumed he was a killer.

Why shouldn’t he have defended himself? It was justified.

The anger suddenly shattered, the audible crash of glass rang in his ears as the truck crashed through the large store front. The truck screeched to a stop and Markus stared blankly ahead for a moment, North already climbing out of the car. He shook his head, wiping the unpleasant memories away. It was like waking up from a nightmare, one that he had to relive hundreds of times in his head.

Markus climbed out of the car, slamming the door shut. North was already standing with a group of androids, looking quite focused as she tried to awaken them. Markus looked to another group standing on display and walked over, reaching out a hand and pulling his synthetic skin back. He grabbed the arm of one and pushed his thoughts out to all of them.

**You are free.**

“You don’t have to obey them.” He said, watching as their LEDs turned yellow. Markus smiled up at them as the clarity filled their eyes. They looked at him with awe, and respect. He walked over to another group and took each of their hands, converting them- freeing them. He looked over at where North stood in front of a single android on the special display, he approached slowly, slowly reaching out to the other androids on the special display and came to a stop next to her.

“Why doesn’t it work?” She asked in frustration. “Why is it only you?”

“I don’t know.” Markus admitted, her hand tightened on the androids hand. Markus lifted his own hand and gently held North’s shoulder, inquiring for an interface. Her brows furrowed but she allowed it. He closed his eyes and pushed his thoughts through her and into the android. A few seconds later, he looked up to see the android looking at him, eyes clearing.

“You’re free.” He said, and she smiled. It was then that Markus noticed it- she was identical to North. But they weren't the same model. This android was a BL100. Markus dropped his hands, skin crawling back up over his fingers.

“North?” He asked, she looked him in the eye, shaking her head.

“We’d better hurry.” She said, pausing. “You should speak to them.” Markus nodded and watched her walk away, sending another glance at the BL100 stepping down from the display. He turned and walked through the crowd of androids, jumping up to stand on the front desk.

“My name is Markus…” He began, catching their attention. “And just like you I was a slave...An object...designed to obey them. But then I chose to open my eyes, to take back my freedom and decide who I wanted to be. Now I have come to tell you that you can be your own masters. I've come to tell you that you don't have to obey them anymore. From this day forward, you can walk with your heads held high, you can take your destiny in your hands. Jericho is a place for those of us who want freedom. Now sure, you can stay here and continue to serve them..Or you can come with us and fight by our side."

When he finished Markus wasn’t sure if he should keep going or not. The silence he got in response was quite unnerving and made him think that if he could sweat, he would be right now. He took a deep breath to cool his systems, noticing his stress levels climb up a few ticks. He looked at North who gave a helpful shrug of her shoulders. He was about to speak again when:

“I’m with you.” One android said, relief washed over Markus instantly. More of the androids began to murmur in agreement, their volume slowly climbing into a mix of cheers and his name being shouted. In excitement. Markus blinked down at them all, feeling a rush of adrenalin seep into him like a virus. It started in his feet, oddly enough, and spread up his legs, blossoming in his chest and to his very fingertips. A smile stretched across his lips as pride filled his mind. All previous worries began to die down and he hopped off the table, the androids parting so he could pass.

“Then follow me!” He shouted, leaving the store.

And they all followed him.

Markus heard North speaking but was hardly listening. He was to focused on the rush he was feeling. He knew that these androids would follow him no matter what- it was like he was their leader…

Their **god.**

“Markus, what are you doing?” North asked, grabbing his arm.

“I’m sending the humans a message.” He said, and a grin lit up her face. He knew this was something North could get behind. Any form of sabotage was right up her alley. He showed the androids how to proceed, tagging the benches a hacking the CyberLife screens. He knew some of them would want to damage the property but he refused to go that far. The humans would get their message without them having to be violent.

North began to help him, she and another android helped him push a truck into the road, blocking the path. She followed him up the side of the building so they could display their tag across the large building. He stood with pride, looking over the dark park with a wide smile, he looked to North who had a smug look of her own. Below them, smoke began to fill the air. Markus felt odd as the news screens changed to his own face, the end of his speech playing in a loop.

“We need to go.” Markus said when they dropped down. “They’re coming.” North looked at him and nodded. Markus focused on the open channel, forcing his thoughts into the minds of the freed androids.

 **Fall back to Jericho.** And they all began to flee.

“We sent a message without violence like you wanted…” North said, catching his attention. “You’re reaching out to them when all they feel for us is contempt...I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“You can’t fight violence with violence.” Markus responded.

“Unless there’s no other choice.” She said, then turned to join the other androids. Markus watched after her, standing his ground while the rest of the androids ran past, he wanted to go last, he had to make sure everyone made it. He turned around and saw a few stragglers run past, behind them though- there was a drone. His eyes tracked it’s movements and it’s bright light focused on him, causing him to squint.

Gunshots from ahead startled him from his thoughts and he felt his heart stop.

“North!” He shouted, head whipping around and he began to run down the snowy street. When he turned the corner he saw her on her knees, sitting over a struck down android. Markus scanned the street and saw several other androids fallen down and bleeding out. He ran to her, sliding down onto his knees next to her, a hand gripping her shoulder as he scanned her body for injuries.

“North...What happened are you alright?” He asked, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of her face. “North!”

“They killed them.” North said, her voice shaking. She looked him in the eyes and he saw wet tears falling down her cheeks, making him freeze for a second before pushing as calming thoughts as possible through a barely there connection they had.

Markus was weak to tears, he always had been. Carl had made fun of him for it on more than one occasion. Something about seeing such sorrow made his mind whirl and the other person's pain became his own. One time at a gala, one of the children of Carl’s supporters had fallen. Markus had stood there stunned as the little girl's eyes weld up with tears. He had squatted down next to her and done everything he could to make her smile.

 _“_ _You’re empathetic.”_ Carl had told him _. “You don’t like seeing sorrow.”_

 _“It must be built into my caretaking program.”_ Markus had replied, and Carl chuckled _._

_“Maybe.”_

“They slaughtered them like animals…” North’s voice shook, bringing him out of his panicked thoughts. Markus frowned, looking down at the android she sat by. It was the BL100 from before.

“Who did?” He asked and she looked back down at the android. “Who?” He asked again but she wouldn’t speak. Markus looked up and saw a group of androids further down the road, red and blue flashing lights behind them- the police?

Markus stood up and began walking down the street towards the group, eyes scanning each of the fallen androids. When he got close, they parted, letting him through. By the two police cars were two officers, down on their knees. Markus looked at each of them with an intense stare.

“They killed our people, Markus…” An android spoke up.

“We want justice!” Someone else shouted, the rest murmuring in agreement. A gun was handed to him and Markus took it, attention focused on the two men. They were both shivering, bodies shaking like frail leaves.

“You don’t have to do this…” One spoke, voice desperate and quiet. “No….Please.” He begged, and Markus found himself frozen in place. He watched as tears slowly dripped down the officers cheeks- they were different from the ones North had shed. Hers were out of anger, but these- these were tears of fear. Markus felt his face soften ever so slightly and he dropped his arm.

“An eye for an eye and the world goes blind…” He whispered, repeating the words of a famous activist. He remembered the library in Carl’s home vividly, he read through the pages of words spoken by Gandhi, the smell of old pages and the warmth of belonging. Looking at these officers, he knew they belonged somewhere as well.

“We won’t punish a crime with a crime.” He said, louder so everyone could hear him. Handing the gun back to the other android. Rather than continue to speak Markus turned and walked away, trusting his followers to do the same. He could feel North’s heavy gaze on his back as he returned to the drainage pipe they had entered from. But this time it wasn’t so hard to bare. He knew she would be mad- but he’d rather live with an angry North than live with a murderer.

Carl would be proud, he thought for sure that he would. One of the man's favorite Shakespeare quotes passed through his mind: **The jury passing on the prisoner's life may in the sworn twelve have a thief or two guiltier than him they try.**

 

**November 9th 2038, 9:10 AM**

The DPD was busy, as always. Connor stood by Lieutenant Andersons desk, back straight, hands clasped behind his back. People walked past him, casting him strange looks but Connor just stood tall, not responding. He had no reason to- unless of course someone needed assistance. He had been there since 6 AM. Standing in the same spot, waiting for the same man. He knew it was unlikely based on the previous days that the Lieutenant would show up but he was still anxious to get to work.

He had deviants to catch.

“Connor…?” Came a surprised, sleepy voice. Connor turned, eyes meeting the Lieutenants- a pleasant sight.

“Lieutenant Anderson, I’m happy you’ve arrived before noon. I was expecting to be waiting longer.” He said, rather than offering a greeting.

“What the fuck?” The Lieutenant said, rounding his desk and leaning on the surface of it, looking at Connor as if he had some weird deformity.

_Hank Anderson’s stress levels: 78% and climbing._

“You seem stressed, Lieutenant. Why?” Connor asked, cocking his head.

“Why? Less than eighteen hours ago I saw you dead of the fuckin’ ground!” The Lieutenant snapped, running a hand down his face.

“I see.” Connor nodded. “Yes it’s quite unfortunate that the previous model was shot down, but I assure you it won’t interfere with out investigation. The previous Connor uploaded his memories before death, I possess all of his memories prior to death.”

“So you….” The Lieutenant eyed him up and down. “You remember everything? The deviant? The androids that infiltrated the tower?”

“Yes.” Connor nodded. “But, the closer my memories get to the point of death things do get fuzzy. You’ll have to forgive me Lieutenant.”

“Right.” The man responded with a sigh, shaking his head.

Connor stayed put, watching the Lieutenant boot up his computer. The rate at which he began to work was slow, like a snail. Connor endured it though, knowing that the man responded negatively to pressure. To occupy his time Connor reached a hand into his pocket, planning to calibrate with his coin but- it wasn’t there. His fingers searched the inside of his pant pockets, then his jacket pockets. His lips began to curl into a frown when the Lieutenant seemed to notice.

“Lose something?” The Lieutenant asked and Connor nodded.

“My coin.” He explained. “I must have lost it.”

“No.” Anderson said, making Connor blink in confusion.

“No?” He asked.

“No, I have it. I took it from you, don’t you remember?” He asked, spinning in his chair and pulling the small quarter out of his jacket pocket. “In the elevator.”

“Oh…” Connor said, eyes trained on the coin and his LED flared yellow as he tried to recall the event.

A fuzzy image flashed through his mind; a warm hand grabbing his own wrist, pulling the coin from his fingers. It made Connor’s head spin as he tried to focus on the memory. He did remember, Hank had yelled at him for being to fidgety.

 _“You’re starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor.”_ He had said, and Connor apologized.

“...Connor?” The Lieutenant asked, pulling him from his thoughts. Connor hadn’t realized he had his eyes closed, he blinked them open and the room spun, his vision woosy. He pressed a hand to his temple, vision slowly clearing.

“Sorry Lieutenant. I must have forgotten.” Connor responded, reaching out for the coin. The Lieutenant hesitated but dropped the quarter in his hand. It was warm- and it had Connor wondering why he cared.

“Has anything of interest shown up yet today?” Connor asked, standing close to the desk.

“No.” The Lieutenant replied. “Haven’t really gotten a chance to look.” He grumbled, Connor noticed the dark circles under the man’s eyes and felt a jolt of concern- but it was quickly forgotten.

_Regret? Investigation? Yesterday?_

“If only we had managed to capture one of the previous deviants, we could have a clue of how they think.” Connor thought aloud and the Lieutenant turned on him, face scrunched up in confusion.

“What?” He asked.

“Our previous cases.” Connor said. “Rupert, for example. I shouldn’t have let him get away.”

“You-” The Lieutenant frowned. “Regret not letting me fall?” He asked and Connor shook his head.

“Not at all Lieutenant. But the statistics of you falling were slim, I could have left you and you would have been fine.” Connor said and the man’s face grew cold.

“Right.” He said shortly.

“Or those Traci’s.” Connor continued. “Perhaps we should have-”

“I’ll stop you right there.” Hank said, standing up. “You chose not to shoot those girls.”

“That sounds unlike me, Lieutenant. My program would not allow me to spare the life of a deviated android, let alone two. There must have been something wrong with the gun, or maybe-”

“Shut it.” The Lieutenant snapped. “You said it yourself Connor. I asked you and you told me you were afraid of dying.” He said, voice raised. He was drawing the attention of the other DPD officers and Connor felt his LED flickering between yellow and red. That dizziness began to return and he tried to blink it away, but every time his eyes closed- his vision seemed to come back fuzzier.

“Nothing….There would be nothing.” His own voice rang out in his ears, causing him to wince- he couldn’t feel pain but it really did seem like it hurt. His mind began to fill with memories he seemed to have forgotten, brief conversations with the Lieutenant, Amanda, falling from the building-

_Dying._

_Fear._

When Connor opened his eyes, he was sprawled out on the floor. His chest was heaving despite not having the need to breathe. When the room stopped spinning Connor noticed Hank above him, looking down at him with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry Lieutenant. Something in my program must have malfunctioned.” Connor spoke, sitting up.

“Jesus kid….They really fucked you up in there didn’t they?” Hank asked and Connor shook his head.

“On the contrary, they repaired me.” He explained and the Lieutenant’s frown deepened. Connor stood back up, brushing his hands off on his pants. “Putting that aside. What is on the agenda for today?” He asked. Hank stayed quiet for a minute, eyeing the android before letting out a sigh.

“Well. I figured the best way to learn more about androids is by talking to the man who created them in the first place.” The Lieutenant explained and Connor lit up.

“A brilliant idea.” Connor said. “Perhaps he’ll be able to tell us about Markus.”

“Who?” The Lieutenant asked, brows furrowed.

“The RK200 that broke into Stratford Tower.” Connor said, voice full of his own confusion. Why didn’t the Lieutenant know this?

“How do you know it’s name?” Hank asked, crossing his arms.

“When I searched for his serial number.” Connor replied. “Did I not tell you? I’m sure I did.”

“You didn’t.” Hank said with a deep frown.

“Well. The deviant is an RK200 prototype which was quite surprising; I wasn’t aware there were any other RK models besides myself. It was the last android made personally be Elijah Kamski. He gifted it to famous artist Carl Manfred.” Connor explained and the Lieutenant nodded along.

“Huh.” He said in response and Connor began fiddling with his coin again. “Kamski probably knows something then.” He grumbled. “Let’s get going then.”

Connor nodded, putting his coin back in his pocket before following the detective out of the DPD. It was another cold day, the snow still hadn’t stopped falling- being a constant blizzard since two days prior. Connor had to admit that he didn’t particularly enjoy the snow. It was cold, and made it difficult to walk and see.  
  
The Lieutenant climbed into his small tan car, Connor got in on the passenger side. He reached for the seat belt, pulling it over and clicking it into the restraint. His hands then dropped into his lap and he stared out the front of the car. His database constantly buzzing, he was vaguely aware that the car had begun to move.

“Thanks...By the way.” Anderson said, breaking the silence. Connor frowned, looking over at the man.

“For what, Lieutenant?” He asked and the man sighed.

“For yesterday. You-” He cleared his throat. “You saved my life. Thanks.” The air became- awkward, for lack of a better term. Connor cocked his head to the side. Trying to recall the event the Lieutenant was describing. He couldn’t find it in him memory bank. But if the man said it happened then it must have.

“You’re welcome.” Connor replied, nodding his head.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Connor took the time to research Elijah Kamski. Currently thirty six years old, born in 2002. He was the inventor of Thirium 310 and biocomponents. He successfully built the first android in 2022; an RT600 model referred to as “Chole.” A few years ago Kamski resigned as CEO of CyberLife and has been a mystery ever since, living alone in a remote location.

Remote was not the only word Connor would use to describe the location. The car pulled up in a snow covered driveway. The house was a very obscure looking building, placed on the edge of a rocky slope leading to the bay that was currently covered in a sheet of ice.

“Wait here a sec…” Hank mumbled as his phone rang. The man answered it and stepped out of the car, closing the door behind him. Connor watched as he rounded the car, standing a few feet away. He paced back and forth as he spoke. Connor’s curiosity was slowly growing as Hanks demeanor changed from nervous, to surprise to- relief? Connor couldn’t tell exactly.

A few minutes passed by and the Lieutenant finally hung up the phone, waving for Connor to get out. The android did, popping the car door open and stepping out into the chilly air. He approached the Lieutenant and he looked confused, just like he had when he saw Connor this morning.

“Is everything OK Lieutenant?” He asked.

“Chris was on patrol last night.” He began, looking at Connor briefly. “He was attacked by a bunch of deviants….” Connor frowned, how were they only just now hearing of this? The DPD had to be making some improvements here soon. Hank shook his head slightly, looking past Connor with his brows drawn together. Connor felt a tug of worry in the back of his mind, but shook it off.

“Said he was saved by Markus himself….” The Lieutenant said, his tone gave off the sense of disbelief.

“Is Chris okay?” Connor asked, immediately question why he cared.

“Yeah, he’s in shock but...he’s alive.” Hank replied. “What the hell…” He mumbled, looking away, head shaking as he began walking towards the front door. Connor felt compelled to change the topic.

_Instinct? Lead? Kamski?_

“Kamski left CyberLife ten years ago. There is a chance he won’t know what causes deviancy.” He said.

“This guy created the first android to pass the turing test.” Hank replied swiftly. “And he’s the founder of CyberLife. If anyone can tell us about deviants it’s him.” They stopped in front of the large door, Hank leaned forward and knocked. They both stood in silence, waiting for an answer. Connor shifted from foot to foot and Hank sighed, leaning forward to knock again after a minute passed, but the door opened.

Connor felt something in him short circuit. He had seen what the RT600 looked like but for some reason she was quite different in person- prettier. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a low ponytail, draped over one shoulder. She was dressed in a dark blue dress that stopped just above the knees and Connor felt himself stepping further behind the detective- for what reason he couldn’t really name.

“Hi.” Hank said, voice awkward. “Uh, er. My name is Lieutenant Hank Anderson, Detroit Police Department. I’m here to see Mr. Elijah Kamski.” He explained.

“Please, come in.” Chloe smiled, stepping aside and gesturing to the wide entry way.

“Ok.” Hank said, both he and Connor staring at her for a small, very awkward moment. The Lieutenant cleared his throat and entered the house, Connor followed close behind, glancing cautiously at the female android as he walked past her.

Why was he so nervous?

“I’ll tell Elijah that you are here. Please, make yourself comfortable.” Chloe said to them and turned to go further into the house. Connor felt his LED flash from yellow to red in one quick succession as he saw her dress had an open back. He quickly turned away and began to look around, distracting himself by analyzing the room.

Hank sat down in one of the two chairs to the left of them, Connor looked at the tall tree standing between them. It resemble the ones in Amanda's garden and he smiled at it. The leaves were a soft pink, he watched in interest as one petal floated slowly to the ground; but when he looked back up at the tree the entire thing was bare- and he took a shocked step back, eyes blinking rapidly. But when he looked back- it was fine.

“Nice girl..” Hank said, breaking the silence and Connor was grateful for it.

_Sincere? Analytical? Indifferent?_

“You’re right..” Connor said cautiously. “She’s really pretty.” He said, looking at the large picture of Elijah Kamski on the wall by the door Chloe had disappeared through. The man was clad in a suit, eyes gazing down at the viewer like he was actually in the room- looking straight through you. Connor felt a tingle go down his spine and looked away. His eyes landing on a picture hung above a small table.

Kamski stood by a woman who looked identical to Amanda. He did a quick scan of the picture and identified her as Amanda Stern, Elijah Kamski’s AI professor. Connor’s fingers twitched as he stared at the two, teacher and student smiling at the camera. Connor had never really seen Amanda smile, he had alway desired to make her smile.

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.” His own voice flooded his mind and he saw a flash of memory cloud his vision, Amanda standing in the dead garden, a smile spread across her beautiful face. Connor reached for his head, blinking away the vision. Quietly shaking his head.

“Nice place.” Hank said casually. “Guess androids haven’t been a bad thing for everybody…” He snorted at his own joke and Connor wondered why it was funny. “So, you’re about to meet your maker, Connor. How does it feel?”

_Impatient? Distant? Indifferent?_

“Kamski is one of the great geniuses of the 21st century. It’ll be interesting to meet him in person.” Connor responded, picking up a magazine, scanning the words and half listening to Hank’s rambling.

“Sometimes wish I could meet my maker face to face.” He grumbled. “I’d have a couple of things I’d wanna tell him.” Connor made a small, noncommittal sound and set the magazine down. Turning to look at the detective who was sitting straight, hands on his knees and watching Connor explore with a look of amusement. Connor resigned and sat down as well, eyes still scanning the room for any little clue or idea on Mr. Kamski’s personality.

“Elijah will see you now.” Came Chloe’s voice from the door across from them. Hank and Connor stood up in unison, but Connor let the lieutenant lead. Following close behind him and once again passing the RT600. This time Connor lifted his lips in a smile at her, she tilted her head to the side and offered one back; making his own smile widen.

The room they entered was muggy, and Connor noticed the large pool in the middle of the room to be the source. The water looked red, probably due to the lights all around the edge of it, casting an illusion. What made Connor pause was not the fact that Elijah Kamski was currently doing laps in the pool, but that there were several other Chloe’s. Connor scanned each one of them but they were somehow different from the girl that greeted them. Connor recognized her as the original RT600. The rest of them were copies and- somehow not as beautiful.

“Mr. Kamski?” Hank asked.

“Give me a moment, please.” Came a call from the water and Connor followed Hank around the edge of the pool to a small sitting area, the entire back wall was a glass window overlooking the water. The snow fall had seemed to increase.

Connor’s eyes were drawn to the far wall where a large painting stood, mounted. It was one of Carl Manfred’s works. The two of them must have been rather good friends. It was unfortunate that the famous painter had lost use of his legs in an accident. Oddly enough the details of what happened were nowhere to be found, it was quite frustrating to Connor.

Chloe- the original RT600, returned from the room she had disappeared into, a robe in hand. She stood, back straight by the edge of the pool as Mr. Kamski climbed up the ladder. She held it up and he slipped his arms through. Connor watched from the corner of his eye, a frown pulling at his lips as the android tied the robe shut, but his frown disappeared as the founder of CyberLife turned his attention to the two of them after briefly fixing his hair.

“I’m Lieutenant Anderson, this is Connor.” Hank greeted.

“What can I do for you Lieutenant?” Kamski asked, hands clasped in front of him.

“Sir,” Hank began and Connor looked at him- he was nervous. “We’re investigating deviants. I know you left CyberLife years ago but I was hoping you’d be able to tell us something we don’t know….” Hank finished and there was an awkward silence. Kamski looked at the detective with hooded eyes, glancing between him and Connor.

“Deviants…” He began, head lifting, his mannerisms were- interesting. “Fascinating...aren’t they? Perfect beings with infinite intelligence. And now they have free will…” He said, shaking his head slightly. “Machines are so superior to us.” He said, glancing at Chloe who stood to the side. Connor’s eyes lingered on her before returning to Kamski. “Confrontation was inevitable. Humanity's greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall.” He laughed. “Isn’t it ironic?”

Connor watched the man with raising curiosity. The way he spoke of deviancy was strange. It was like he was proud, not afraid that machines may one day take over all of Detroit or- even perhaps the country. To Connor it seemed like Kamski was- having fun with it.

_Help? Deviants? Virus? War?_

“Deviancy seems to spread like some kind of virus.” Connor began, drawing Kamski’s gaze. It made him pause. “We thought you might know something about that.” He explained.

“All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics…” Kamski replied, arms spreading in a wide gesture before returning to their original position. “Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?” He asked, looking between Connor and Hank.

“Listen.” Hank interrupted. “I didn’t come here to talk philosophy. The Machines you created may be planning a revolution.” He said shortly, but Connor noticed Kamski looking only at him, a smirk upon his lips. He wasn’t really listening to Hank. “So either you can tell us something that will be helpful or we’ll be on our way.”

“What about you, Connor?” Kamski asked as soon as Hank finished speaking. “Whose side are you on?”

_Neutral? Defensive? Direct?_

“I have no side.” Connor replied, drawing a wider smile from the man. “I was designed to stop deviants and that’s what I intend to do.”

“Well, that’s what you’re programmed to say…” Kamski explained. “But you. What do you really want?”

Connor’s LED turned yellow as his programing began to scramble. His brows drew together in thought. What did he want? He wanted to solve the case...He wanted-

“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.” The words echoed again and he shook his head, jostling them away.

“What I want is...Not important.” He responded, looking anywhere but into the man’s eyes. He was standing close, his smile was scary as it grew into one with a challenge.

“Chloe?” He said, gaining the androids attention. She came over from where she was off to the side. “I’m sure you’re familiar with the turing test.” Kamski said as he circled around Chloe, grabbing her shoulders and turning her to face the two of them. “Mere formality, simple question of algorithms and computing capacity.” He shifted her to the right, so she stood more in front of Connor and he felt his nervousness grow into something more, something he couldn’t name.

“What interests me.” Kamski went on. “Is whether machines are capable of empathy. I call it the “Kamski Test.” It’s very simple, you’ll see.” He trailed off, looking at Chloe who stood perfectly still. “Magnificent.” He cooed. A hand reaching up, finger trailing across her cheek. “The first intelligent model created by CyberLife. Young, and beautiful forever. A flower that will never wither….” He dropped his hands and looked back at the two. “But what is it really? A piece of plastic imitating a human.”

Connor watched with a mix of interest and concern as Kamski turned around, sliding open the drawer to the small chair side table. He cast a glance at Hank he was shuffling from foot to foot, obviously uncomfortable with how things were going.

“With a soul.” Kamski spoke again, slowly turning around with his hands in the air. In one hand he held a hand gun. Connor felt his concern rise as he put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, having her kneel down in front of Connor.

“It’s up to you, to answer that fascinating question, Connor.” Kamski said, walking over to him. Connor didn’t resist as the man took Connor’s hand in his own, sliding the gun between his fingers and raising his arm. “Destroy this machine and I’ll tell you all that you want to know.” Kamski whispered. “Or spare it,” He went on, circling around behind Connor. “If you feel it’s alive, but you’ll leave here having learnt nothing from me.”

“Okay, I think we’re done here.” Hank said, voice loud and obviously upset. “Come on Connor, let’s go. Sorry to get you outta your pool.” Hank started to walk away but- Connor didn’t follow.

His eyes were glued to the android in front of him. She looked up at him with beautiful blue eyes; blue eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul. Connor’s arm shook every so slightly as he held the gun up. Mind racing, he knew his stress levels were beginning to sky rocket and he began to feel frustrated.

Why was he hesitating? If he shot her, Kamski would tell him whatever he wanted to know. If he shot this android- this machine the investigation would move forward, he might even solve it.

So why couldn’t he pull the trigger?

“What’s more important to you, Connor?” Kamski spoke up again, making Connor flinch. “Your investigation, or the life of this android?” Connor’s LED was aggressively flashing yellow. “Decide who you are…..An obedient machine. Or a living being, endowed with free will.”

“That’s enough! Connor, we’re leaving.” He heard Hank say.

“Pull the trigger.” Kamski whispered in his ear, a hand gripping Connor’s shoulder.

“Connor! Don’t…” Hank pleaded.

“And I’ll tell you what you want to know.” Kamski continued.

Connor never looked away from Chloe. Her face never changed and yet he could see into her emotionless eyes that there was something. He wasn’t aware if she knew what she was feeling, but she looked-

“Nothing. There would be nothing.” Connor’s head spun, images of dead branches and darkness filling his mind. Amanda standing there smiling at him. Tears streaming down his cheeks and Hank standing there with a gun pointed at his head. The possibility of Hank being shot and throwing himself between him and the danger- dying.

 _She looks afraid._ He thought.

_I’m afraid._

Connor pulled his arm up and away from Chloe, holding it out for Kamski to take. He was sure his LED was a deep red by now.

“Fascinating…” Kamski whispered as he took the weapon from Connor. “CyberLife’s last chance to save humanity….is itself, a deviant.” The words rang out, sending a wave of surprise through Connor. His eyes still trained on Chloe as he considered what he had just done.

“I’m…” He began, pulling his eyes away from the girl. “I’m not a deviant.”

“You preferred to spare the life of a machine than accomplish your mission.” Kamski pushed, helping Chloe back to her feet. “You saw a living being in this android. You showed empathy.” He said, sending Chloe away. Connor watched as she left, a sense of relief washing over him.

“A war is coming. You’ll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people or stand up against your creators?” Kamski asked him, his face filled with sympathy. “What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?”

“Let’s get outta here.” Hank said, voice upset as he pulled Connor around, urging him to come with. Connor did follow this time. He didn’t want to speak with Kamski anymore, the man made him question things he shouldn’t be questioning- it made him remember feelings he had only just gotten rid of.

He wasn’t sure if he was grateful or upset.

“And by the way.” Kamski spoke once again, making Connor pause at the door. “I always leave an emergency exit in my programs….You never know…” He chuckled to himself and Connor hurriedly left the room. Following after the Lieutenant who was waiting for him at the door. Connor walked past him and out the door, Hank following close behind.

“Why didn’t you shoot?” He asked right away, Connor had expected it, shaking his head and slowing to a stop.

“I just saw that girl’s eyes….” He said, trying to think of what to say as he turned around to face Hank. “And I just, couldn’t. That’s all.”

“You’re always saying you would do anything to accomplish your mission…” Hank said, his voice giving off a small sense of amusement and it frustrated Connor. “That was our chance to learn something and you let it go.”

“Yeah.” Connor grit his teeth, spinning around again but not looking Hank in the eye. “I know what I should’ve done! I told you, I couldn’t…I’m sorry, Okay?” He said, finally looking up to see a pair of teasing eyes.

“Yeah well. Maybe you did the right thing.” Hank said and for one of the first times, offered Connor a genuine smile. It made him freeze as the detective walked past him, heading for the car. For some reason, Connor felt a sense of- accomplishment. Hank had never offered him a smile like that- actually no one had ever smiled at him like that, except perhaps Chloe, but even her smile was different from the one he just received. It was- nice.

_It was kind._

 

**November 9th 2038, 12:04 PM**

The snow was still falling, much to Markus’ delight. From where he stood, perched on a beam sticking out from a crumbled, dilapidated building he could see for miles. The snow making the world seem cleaner than it was. Snow made the world look pure- not filled with violence or pain; choices that no person should ever have to make. He let out a deep sigh, watching his breath create a foggy steam in the air.

“I was wondering where you were....” North called from behind him.

“I needed to think.” Markus replied, slowly turning around, careful not to slip as he returned to the building.

“I like this place.” North muse aloud. “I come here often. It’s like being alone with the world.” Markus had to agree. It was beautiful, although better when it was quiet if he was being fully honesty. “We freed hundreds of our people, and they’re still coming from all over the city..” North said as he sat down in an old, beat up arm chair. “Those who dream of freedom come to Jericho. Something’s changing...” She smiled at him and Markus halfheartedly offered one back.

“You seem preoccupied.” North said, walking forward to stand closer to the edge. Markus frowned and looked down at his hands, he was preoccupied- but he truly didn’t want to discuss it.

He didn’t want anyone knowing how uncertain he was.

“Preoccupied?” He asked. “No no, I’m fine.” North went quiet, she probably knew he was lying but she didn’t push an answer out of him.

“Humans hate us.” She said, and he looked up at her. “They’ll never give us our freedom.”

“No, not all humans are the same. Some of them understand that they can’t stop us from becoming free for forever.” Markus replied, hope always the dominant emotion inside him.

“You haven’t said much about yourself since you’ve been with us.” North started again after a brief bout of silence. “What was your life like before Jericho?” She asked and Markus winced.

Another thing he didn’t want to talk about, but North was his friend. He should be able to tell her. He just hoped she would understand- after all, his love for humans had to start somewhere.

“I was taking care of an old man….” He said softly. “He was like a father to me. He showed me that humans and androids could live together…” Markus’ thoughts began to travel back to Carl, his father figure was always so optimistic, even with his morbid jokes about dying and his stubborn refusal to take his medication some days- he was a man that truly loved life. If Markus were being honest, everything he was doing now was for Carl. He wanted desperately for the man to see him. He wanted him to know that he was alive and well. Trying to convince humans that androids were kind.

He was finally deciding who he was, just as Carl had always told him.

It was then that Markus got an idea. Perhaps he could get Carl to see him. Turning around, Markus looked at North who had a thoughtful expression on her face, as if she were still considering his words. He offered a reassuring smile and began to leave, he had to find Josh.

“Where are you going?” North asked him as he walked past.

“I’m going to send the humans a message.” He said, and North trailed after him but didn’t question it.

The walk back to Jericho was short, they were only a few minutes away. Jericho was still as dark and damp as ever, making Markus shiver as he walked through the halls, North right behind him. Each step they took made a distinct metallic clang that echoed down the passages. When another set of footsteps entered the mix, Markus came to a suddens top, North bumping into him.

“What-” She began but he held up a hand, cutting her off. The footsteps grew louder, they were strange, like the person was dragging their feet. Markus squinted in the dark as someone rounded the corner, standing with slumped shoulders.

It was Simon, Markus realized. Both he and North stared at the other android with wide eyes. He looked rather worse for ware. His leg was still badly damaged, face smeared with blue blood. His lips were slightly parted, hair ruffled. Markus felt a rush of both worry and relief flood his systems as he looked at the android. He walked slowly forward before reaching out and grabbing his friend, pulling him into an embrace. Simon’s arms wrapped around him and his fingers dug into the thick material of Markus’ jacket.

“Simon…” He heard North breath his name and she came up behind them. When Markus let go of the android, she pulled him into a hug as well. Markus watched with a smile pulling at his lips.

“Come on.” Markus said softly. “Let’s go find Josh, I want to talk to you all.” North and Simon looked at him, both nodding slowly. They’d have to repair Simons leg before they could do anything.

When they did find Josh, the android was more that surprised to see Simon, Markus wasn’t surprised at all when the man began to cry. Markus held in his chuckles- North didn’t- as they hugged, and while Josh repairing Simon’s leg, Markus told them his plan.

“I want to lead a march.” Markus said, and they all looked at him with varying responses. Josh looked nervous, as always. North seemed semi-interested and Simon perked up, listening to his idea before fully judging it. Something Markus was grateful for.

“Just the four of us gather as many androids as we can, if we start somewhere public it should be easy to gain hundreds of followers-”

“That’s dangerous, Markus.” North cut him off and he internally sighed.

“If we try and show that we’re peaceful-”

“We’ll get shot down!” North cut him off again.

“North.” Simon said, catching her attention. “Let him finish his explanation.” North puffed air into her cheeks and exhaled. Nodding.

“Thank you, Simon.” Markus said with a smile. “I truly believe that there are people out there that will sympathise with our cause. If we show the humans that we are peaceful, that all we want is to be seen as equals- some of them will show use support.” He explained, looking at each of them one at a time. “My….” He paused, how should he refer to Carl? His owner? His friend? Neither seemed right. “My father always told me that people are inherently good, and the only reason they don’t like things different from them is because fear clouds their judgement. They lash out because they’re afraid, the beat us because they’re afraid. Fear is their prominent emotion, but I truly believe they will always choose to do the right thing if we can show them we mean them no harm.” He finished.

“I agree.” Josh spoke up, after a long silence. “I can’t say I’m not absolutely terrified by the idea of a march….But I do think we should do it.”

“I’ll do whatever you think is best, Markus. I trust you.” Simon said, offering a warm smile meant to calm Markus’ nerves, but his blind faith was rather scary to have. Considering he had all but left the android for dead at Stratford Tower. All three of them turned to North, who wore a deep frown.

“I’ll do whatever you guys want.” She sighed eventually. “But I think this is suicide.”

“Thank you, North.” Markus smiled at her and she just rolled her eyes, but smiled as well.

It took about an hour more for Simon to be fully repaired. His damages weren’t bad, he had managed to fix a lot of the major problems in his legs. Markus hadn’t realized how worried he was until the other android returned. They arrived at Woodward Mall Center around 2PM. Markus had his blue hoodie pulled up to cover his face, he could probably be recognized by the police force if he wasn’t to careful.

“This is suicide.” North grumbled as the four of them stepped off the escalators. “We’ll all be killed. Please, Markus it’s not too late to change your mind.” She said, turning to him. Markus had considered it, but they were already this far, they needed to do this.

“You don’t understand, we’re finally gonna show them who we really are. This place will go down in history!” Josh said, a rare smile showing on his face.

“We’ll be killed on the spot!” North snapped, Markus let out a long suffering sigh as the two of them bickered, at this point he understood why Jericho was in shambles when he arrived. Two of the leaders couldn’t agree on anything. Their constant fighting was getting on his nerves. Simon nudged his arm and gave him a sympathetic smile.

“That’s a risk I’m prepared to take if it means the freedom of our people.” Josh said, and honestly Markus couldn’t have said it better himself.

“Markus, please don’t do this.” North said to him, ignoring Josh.

“They’ll understand.” Markus said. “We’ll make them understand.” North looked down, she looked upset- so he continued. “They’ll have to understand.”

With no more objections, Markus split off from the trio, scanning faces for other androids. He slowly made his way around the building, gripping androids arms and whispering words to them through their connection. Converting them to their cause. He had an open channel with the other three, whenever he freed an android, they would lead them away. Josh was keeping track of how many Markus had freed.

The numbers climbed slowly, seeing as Markus was the only one able to convert androids. Markus went outside into the long street, scanning up and down the streets. He slowly approached one android who was standing next to a large truck. Markus placed a hand on the androids shoulder.

“I need your help to block the road.” He said aloud and the android nodded, rounding the truck and closing the back. Just then another android- the same model, came over, looking confused. Markus grabbed it’s arm right away, converting it as the other android climbed in the truck, driving it into the middle of the street.

He went up to another android, who was standing next to his owner. Markus grabbed his shoulder. Freeing him from his cage of obedience, the android was eager to join him, but his owner noticed him begin to walk away and grabbed his arm. Markus felt fear jolt through their connection and his eyes snapped to the man latched onto the android, the urge to protect hit him like a bus.

“You get back here!” The man shouted and Markus stepped forward, shoving the man backwards, glowering at him. The humans eyes were wide and he immediately backed off, unwilling to fight with Markus.

Their numbers grew steadily, Josh telling him they were at twenty by now. Markus jogged into the street, a couple of androids following him rather than going with one of the other three; which amused him greatly. He bent down and opened the man hole in the middle of the street, reaching a hand down to help one of the hidden Jericho members out. He left it to them to slowly climb out. Their numbers going from twenty to thirty and climbing.

Markus stood proud in the middle of the street, North, Josh and Simon joining him. He walked steadily forward, extending an arm out to an android on the sidewalk, he felt a connection form even from that distance and concentrated.

You are free now. He said, and she joined them. He did the same to more androids as they walked down the street. Markus fought the smile that was trying desperately to appear on his face. He was happy, but he couldn’t get ahead of himself. He had to be respected, the humans couldn’t take him for granted.

 **64**. Josh said over the connection and just then, a drone flew past. Markus had long since pulled his hood down. Not afraid for the people to see his face anymore. He wanted to be recognized. Markus began to hear panicked shouts from people, calling to their beloved android as they joined his March. Pleas mixed with demands, it was interesting to listen to.

_“Wait! Where are you going?”_

_“Please come back!”_

_“Greg, where are you going? Get back here!”_

_“What the hell are they doing?”_

“Hey! Disperse! STOP!” And Markus froze. Ahead of them was a single police officer, standing with his gun raised, he was visibly shaking. Markus looked at him, and raised his hands up into the sky, showing surrender. He didn’t have to look to know all the other androids did the same- not only could he feel it but the shocked look on the police officers face was quite the indicator.

“Jesus Christ…” He said, dropping and lifting his gun. Markus could see he wasn’t sure what to do. He was nervous, scared. He backed off, running to the side of the road and making a call. Markus took that as an OK to keep walking. Dropping his arms, the rest of the androids followed.

 **218**. Josh said, and Markus let the grin come this time, but only for a second. He opened a connection with the entire group, feeling every emotion they were, knowing everything they wanted, feared, hated, loved; it was quite the feeling- it was invigorating. It prompted Markus to continue, it made him want to win.

“We are alive!” He shouted, and the words were repeated instantly by the other androids. He had pushed the words through the connection and raised a fist into the air, repeating the words as he marched forward. They would not relent until they were heard. Everything was going so well, he was excited- perhaps that should have been the first indicator that something was bound to go wrong.

When they were reaching the end of the street, three police cars came to a screeching halt just ahead of them, making Markus pause. He stopped walking, stopped shouting and watched as SWAT forces began to emerge from the cars. He looked down to the right and saw large trucks parked not to far away with more soldiers. The frown that came wasn’t forced.

A helicopter flew past, Markus looked up, squinting his eyes so he could see. In no time at all, there was a wall of special response police officers barricading the street ahead- RIOT unit, is what they were called. Markus watched them carefully, feeling his three friends come to stand next to him.

“We came here to demonstrate peacefully.” Markus announced to them.”And to tell humans that we are living beings. All we want is to live free.”

“This is an illegal gathering, disperse immediately or we will open fire!” Came the response and Markus felt a twinge of annoyance mixed with uncertainty.

Had he just led them to their deaths like North said?

“We’re not looking for confrontation!” Markus shouted back. “We’ve done no harm, we have no intention of doing any. But know that we don’t intend to go anywhere until we have secured our freedom.”

“I repeat. This is an illegal gathering. If you do not disperse immediately we will shoot!” Markus growled to himself. Why wouldn’t they listen?

“Markus, they’re going to kill us.” North said. “We have to attack! There’s more of us, we can take them!”

“ If we attack we’ll start a war! We have to show them we mean no harm. We have to stand our ground even if it means dying here.” Josh said and Markus prepared for another round of bickering- this was the worst time for it to.

“And dying here won’t solve anything.” Simon spoke up, surprising all three of them. “Markus, we need to go now before it’s to late.”

Markus considered his options. He knew that if they attacked like North wanted, the public would see them as monsters and this whole March will have been for nothing. He wanted anything but that, but he also didn’t want to stand here and lead all his people to their deaths- standing here to have them die like cattle. Even if they left now like Simon wanted there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t be shot anyway.

It was his fault, he had gathered them. He hadn’t listened to North’s warnings. He pushed them to do something they were all afraid of doing and now- they were all going to die.

And it was all his fault.

Markus did the only rational thing he could think of, he had to give the others a chance to escape. The first step forward was shaky, he was scared- obviously. No one ever really wanted to die, fear was a reasonable emotion to be feeling. The next few steps came much easier, because he knew it was the right thing to do. They could carry on without him; they would be safe, and the cause would live on.

A shot rang out and Markus fell backwards as the bullet hit him in the chest. Through the connection he could feel the waves of shock and fear crashing into him, just all this emotion alone would have been enough to knock him off his feet. He fell back into the snow and laid there, staring at the sky; the snow had slowed down quite drastically.

His people began to run, they scattered and he let himself smile knowing they could escape with their lives. A few officers walked to stand over him and he was ready to accept the death that was sure to come soon. But- before any of them could shoot and android ran at them, drawing their attention. Markus felt his breath hitch as he caught sight of the familiar android.

“John-?” He wheezed. It was the android they had met when the broke in at the CyberLife warehouse.

Josh and Simon ran over and grabbed him under the arms and Markus watched helplessly as John was beaten to the ground, their eyes met for a painful second and Markus focused his connection with him and- John wasn’t afraid. In fact the most prominent emotion he felt from him was pride. He smiled at Markus, just before one of the officers finished him off, and his eyes went dark.

Markus felt the moment the other android died and dread washed over him. His fingers and toes went numb as the feeling of death washed over him. Markus was pulled up onto his feet and someone wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him run forward. He was leaning heavily on them and trying hard not to think about what had just happened. He had escaped.

But he hadn’t deserved to.

 

**November 9th 2038, 4:13 PM**

Connor was, for the first time, reluctant to speak to Amanda. But he had to, there was no avoiding it. The garden was dark, and the snow was still falling, much to his frustration. But thankfully it was nothing like what he recalled from before. The trees were all very much alive. Connor found Amanda standing in the middle of the frozen over lake. He had eyed the ice wearily, the first step he took lead to a sickening crack. He nervously continued forward.

“After what happened today, the country is on the verge of a civil war.” Amanda said to him as soon as he was close. Connor assumed she meant the Freedom March that had happened a few hours prior. There were no casualties- why war?

“The machines are rising up against their masters. Humans have no choice but to destroy them.” She said.

“I thought Kamski knew something.” Connor replied. “But he didn’t.”

“Maybe he did.” She snapped, frown deepening and Connor winced. “But you chose not to ask.” Connor chose not to respond, instead changing the topic.

“I’m not a unique model, am I?” He asked, voice quiet. “How many- Cononrs are there?” He asked.

“I don’t see how that question pertains to your investigation.” Amanda said.

“Why did Kamski leave CyberLife?” Connor pressed. “What happened?

“It’s an old story, Connor. It doesn’t pertain to your investigation.” Connor could see her frustration growing, along with his own.

“You didn’t tell me everything you knew about deviants, did you?” Connor asked.

“I expect you to find answers, Connor. Not ask questions. You’re the only one that can stop this civil war.” She said, stepping closer to him. “Find the deviants. Or there will be chaos. This is your last chance, Connor.” Connor felt that was more of a warning to his own safety than anything. He slowly closed his eyes, leaving the garden behind.

“You’re off the case. The FBI is taking over.” Fowler’s voice was the first thing Connor heard when he came back from his report. Hank stood next to him, arms crossed.

“What?” Hank said and Connor whipped his head to look at him, just as much surprised as he was. Perhaps Hank could convince the captain to keep them on the case. “But we’re onto something! We...We need more time, I’m sure we can-”

“Hank.” Fowler cut him off. “You don’t get it. This isn’t just another investigation, it’s a fucking civil war! It’s out of our hands now. We’re talking about national security here…”

“Fuck that!” Hank snapped and Connor took a small step away from the man- he looked ready to combust. “You can’t just pull the plug now! Not when we’re so close!”

“You’re always saying you can’t stand androids! Jesus Hank make up your mind!” Fowler said. “I thought you’d be happy about this.”

“We’re about to crack the fucking case!” Hank said. “I know we can solve it. For God’s sake Jeffery, can’t you back me up just this one time?” He asked.

“There’s nothing I can do.” Fowler said, shaking his head. “You’re back on homicide. And the Android goes back to CyberLife.”

Connor’s head spun. Back to CyberLife? No that couldn’t happen. He couldn’t go back empty handed. He would be disassembled. Deactivated-

_Killed._

“I’m sorry Hank.” Fowler said. “But it’s over.” Connor looked over at the Lieutenant, he looked upset, like he had more to say but he just shook his head and left the office. Connor lingered behind, watching as he left before turning back to the captain. He nodded silently at him and left the room, following after Hank. The man was already perched at his desk, arms crossed.

Connor approached and came to a stop right next to the man, hopping up and sitting on his desk. Hank glanced at him once and did a double take, looking confused as to why Connor was sitting on his desk.

“Fowler is right. Everyone is terrified that their android will turn on them.” Connor tried explaining to Hank, quelling his anger. “We’re on the brink of civil war!” He repeated the words.

“So...You’re going back to CyberLife?” Hank asked, and Connor fought a flinch.

“I have...No choice.” Connor admitted. “I’ll be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed…”

“What if we’re on the wrong side, Connor?” Hank asked, catching the androids undivided attention. “What if we’re fighting against people who just want to be free?”

“When the androids rise up. There will be chaos. We could have stopped it- but we failed.” Connor replied. Regret pooling inside him.

“When you refused to kill that android at Kamski’s place...You put yourself in her shoes. You showed empathy, Connor. Empathy is an human emotion.” Connor looked away, uncertainty swirling inside him. He knew what Hank was implying- that he was a deviant. But he didn’t feel like he was. He couldn’t quite explain how he was feeling. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was scared of what was to come.

“I’m not a deviant, Hank.” Connor said, surprising even himself in the moment- he hadn’t ever referred to the man by his first name before. “I’m a machine. Nothing more.” Hank went quiet, looking at Connor with a little annoyance, as if he knew something Connor didn’t.

“I might not be qualified to judge, but….” Connor began again. “You’re an outstanding police officer. And a good person.” Hank met his eyes briefly, he looked sad- which was the opposite of what Connor was going for with his compliment.

“Well well, here comes Perkins that motherfucker….Sure don’t waste any time at the FBI.” Hank said and Connor cast a glance over his shoulder at the man. He was walking at a fast pace, phone in hand.

“We can’t give up.” He said, turning back to Hank. “I know the answer is in the evidence we’ve collected. If Perkins takes it, it’s all over.”

“There’s no choice, you heard Fowler. We’re off the case.” Hank replied, shaking his head. Connor slid off the desk, leaning forward desperately.

“You’ve’ got to help me Lieutenant.” He whispered, catching the man off guard. “I need more time so I can find the lead in the evidence we’ve collected. I know the solution is in there!”

“Listen, Connor…” Hank tried, lifting a calming hand and Connor couldn’t take it anymore.

“If I don’t solve this case, Cyberlife will destroy me.” He cut the Lieutenant off. “Just five minutes, that’s all I ask. Please Lieutenant.” Hank looked from Connor to Perkins who was still on the phone, pacing around the office.

“Key to the basement is on my desk.” He grumbled as he stood up. Connor looked at him in awe and the man shooed him away. “Get a move on I can’t distract him forever!” He said and began walking towards the FBI agent. Connor quickly grabbed the key and glanced around before walking towards the back of the DPD. He heard Hank’s shouting and felt a little concerned at the sound of his battle cry.

“Perkins! You fucking cocksucker!”

The door to the back closed before Connor could hear the rest of the shouting but he somehow knew that the Lieutenant was probably enjoying himself. Connor quickly walked down the hall to the door on the end, pulling out the key and swiping it through the cardreader. The door clicked open and Connor turned the handle.

“Hey, Connor!” He froze, Reed was either terrible at timing things, or a genius, and Connor knew one of those options couldn’t possibly be true. “Hey, I’m talking to you, asshole!” He shouted and Connor looked down the hall at the man, he considered responding but- it just wasn’t worth it. While keeping eye contact he pulled open the door and entered the room, ignoring the angry shouts of Gavin Reed.

Connor walked down the two flights of stairs and into the evidence room, scanning the keycard on the wide glass doors standing between him and the truth. When Connor entered he walked up to the large computer panel in the middle of the room, when he interacted with it, it beeped and asked for a password.

Connor frowned. A password? What would Hank use as a password? Connor searched his database for possible answers and came up with a few- honestly not surprising ideas. But one stuck out more than the others, it made Connor chuckle lightly, the sound surprising him.

“FUCKINGPASSWORD” He typed into the panel and it cleared, the room slowly shifted, opening up all of the gathered evidence. There wasn’t a lot, but Connor knew he could figure it out.

He approached the far wall, scanning the different items they had gathered. The journal from Rupert, the statuette from Connor, the video of Markus’ speech and a few other items. Connor reached for the ipad, clicking play and watching- listening to Markus speak. For some reason it wasn’t what he was saying that got Connor so interested, it was how he was saying it. Calm, determined- The very opposite of what Connor felt every day.

Markus isn’t afraid. He thought briefly before setting the ipad down, he was wasting time. He scanned to two androids they had in the room, they were both missing parts. When Connor saw the remains of Daniel he felt his fingers go numb, the sensation of free falling making his head spin. He quickly looked away and went to the android on the other side of the room. It was the JB300 that had hacked the TV station with Markus- it was bound to know something. Connor did a quick scan to see if he could be reactivated.

The android was missing an important bio component, #3983v. Connor returned to Daniel and tried to keep his gaze solely on the androids bio components, he quickly found the one he needed and pulled it out, returning to the JB300. Connor inserted the part and waited for the android to wake up. It did, slowly.

“It’s dark…” It said, voice staticy. “Where- where am I?”

“I’m a deviant. Like you.” Connor lied. “I need your help. I want to go to Jericho.”

“I don’t recognize your voice…” It said back, shaking its head. Connor frowned. “You’re not one of us! I’ll never tell you where Jericho is.” Connor stepped back, what could he do? His eyes scanned the room once again, his eyes drawn to the video of Markus- he got an idea.

Connor went over and played the recording again, analyzing the android Leader’s voice to use it as his own. He spoke along with him until their pitches began to match, all Connor had to do was mimic the other androids confidence and it should work. He returned to the androids side and grabbed it’s arm.

“Who’s there?” It asked.

“It’s me. Don’t worry.” Connor said, using Markus’ voice.

“Markus?” The android asked, “Markus is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me. I’ve come to save you, I need you to tell me where Jericho is and we’ll leave.” He said, voice wavering ever so slightly. There was a pregnant pause, making Connor wonder if the android had seen through his plan.

“The location of Jericho? Yes of course, anything for you Markus.” It said, and Connor sighed in relief, litting the interface happen. He was shown several different images- and saw the word Ferndale and several different codes hidden in graffiti- and eventually, he saw Jericho.

Connor pulled back from the android and it looked confused, it opened its mouth to speak but Connor reached forward and pulled the bio component from its neck, watching as the androids body went limp.

“I’ve been dreaming of this since the first second I saw you…” A voice called from behind and Connor turned to see Gavin Reed with a gun in his hands, a wide smirk stretched across his lips.

“Don’t do it Gavin. I know how to stop the deviants.” He said.

“You’re off the case now.” Reed said. “And now, you’re gonna be definitive.” As soon as the last syllable was out of the man's lips Connor ducked down, lunging for the computer panel. The gun fired, hitting the space he had once occupied. Reed rounded the table and Connor knocked the gun from his hands, catching the man off guard.

Reed growled and swung a wide punch but Connor blocked it, using the momentum to throw a punch of his own into Gavin’s side. The man stumbled back and charged at Connor again. Connor caught him and swung him around, and in one quick strike to his head, knocked him out. Gavin’s limp body fell to the ground and Connor smiled.

He’d been wanting to do that for quite some time.

Connor brushed his hands off and fixed his tie. He still had a minute and a half to spare and a sense of pride filled him as he stepped carefully over the unconscious detective. He left the room quickly, and when he got back into the main office of the DPD he walked slowly out of the station, shoulders back and for once, confidence was rushing through him. He knew what he had to do, where to go.

He knew where to find Markus.

And he was _excited._

 

 


	8. Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crossroads
> 
> Night Of The Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Back with a new chapter and it's a good one! Although shorter than the last two, if I was going strong with the next portion but figured if I posted the entire end of the game in one chapter it would be like, 50 pages and that goes from my usual 15000 words to like, 30000.
> 
> Plus that'd be way to much depressing story for one chapter.
> 
> I appreciate the patience you all had between this chapter and the last one! I was pretty busy all week but thankfully we're back on track! I'm going to say updates will most likely come every three to four days from now on since we are getting into my own plot line and it could take a lot more editing/rage quitting on my end. I get pretty picky about my writing :'^) But I am very excited to get into it, I can't wait to hear what you all think of it!
> 
> Thank you for all the love and critiques, spot any mistakes? Feel free to point them out and I'll fix it as soon as possible. Spot anything really cool and want to share it? Feel free! I love all forms of responses. <3 Thank you for reading this far!

**November 9th 2038, 9:43 PM**

The day had been long, Markus was tired both physically and mentally, emotionally even. He was perched on a stool on the upper level of Jericho, overlooking the rest of his people as they watched the KNC news and there were soft murmurs of fear echoing through the ship. He tried to tune them out, listening only to his thoughts that were growing darker by the second.

He couldn’t get the image of John out of his head. The first android he had ever converted gave his life to save Markus. Why? Surely his life wasn’t any more important than anothers. The GJ500 was full of life, ambitious- he was excited to live in a world where he didn’t need to be afraid.

And Markus **failed** him.

“Are you Markus?” A soft voice drew him from his thoughts. Markus looked up from where he sat and saw a female android he didn’t recognize. Her hair was cropped short and a beautiful shade of white. “I’m with a little girl and another android…” She explained, standing there nervously. “There’s a bus leaving in two hours and we need passports…” Markus frowned, sitting up slightly, hands on his knees.

“No, Detroit’s under curfew, there’re soldiers everywhere and they’re rounding up androids and putting them in camps. Maybe you should stay here awhile.” Markus said to her and she seemed to back down quickly, her shoulders slumping and he felt sorry right away. Maybe he should let them go-

“Maybe you’re right…” She said, voice quiet. “We might be safer here until things calm down.”

“One of our people used to work in the state department.” Markus spoke again, “He has electronic passports he can modify easily. I’ll have him get them to you.” The girls eyes gleamed and Markus felt his chest lighten ever so slightly.

“Thank you.” She said, and began to walk away.

“You said you were with a little girl?” Markus asked, and she froze, turning back to him. “You know that humans hate us….Why are you protecting her?” He asked. For once, Markus was unsure of his own beliefs. After the events of today his head was in a constant state of decay, his hope that was once a burning furnace of flames was nothing more than a single ember, clinging for life on a small branch- and the forecast predicted rain.

“She needs me.” The android said with no hesitation. “And I need her. It’s as simple as that.” Markus watched her carefully as she walked away, systems processing what she said. She seemed so confident- it made him gaze down at his own hands and wonder where it came from.

Markus thought of Carl, and the ten years he had spent caring for the man. Ten years of his life dedicated to serving; but Markus knew he wasn’t a slave to Carl. The man saw him as so much more than that. Markus was never mistreated, he was taught, and cared for like a child.

Like a son.

Markus needed Carl as much as the man needed him. He truly was his father, and that’s why he was doing this. Markus wants to show the world that they have the ability to love, just like humans. They can feel fear, and anger, but love is the most prominent. Because without it, the world is nothing but a dark hole. Without it, not even humans would be considered alive.

Markus pushed himself up off the stool he had been perched on, watching as the clock turned to 10PM. He walked over to the railing and looked down at the wide room full of hundreds of androids. Jericho had become more lively since he had first set foot inside it’s vast corridors. Tarps hung from the ceiling, dividing off areas for specific uses. There were lanterns for light rather than ugly trash bins with dangerous flames. There were three different holi screens displaying the KNC news which gave both hopeful and depressing reports.

His eyes scanned the crowds, he saw the AX400 he had just spoken to sitting with a little girl and another android. They sat close, embraced in a hug, making Markus’ usual stoic face break into a small smile. He also spotted two Traci models, standing hand in hand not far from where he stood. He had spoken to them briefly when they first arrived. They told an interesting story of escaping the Eden Club, but refused to go into any details.

It always brought him joy to see romance blossom between other androids. He had even heard of human and android lovers. But those were rare cases, because few people could find it in them to respect androids. More often than not they were just toys. Making some of them unwilling to seek out love- which made Markus beyond mad. How could you hurt someone to such a point?

In his musings he spotted something odd in the corner of his eyes, a dark shadow of a person standing off to the side, away from everyone else. It wasn’t that uncommon to see an android sitting by themselves, especially if they have only just arrived. But usually they are quickly swept into a group but he saw no such thing happening now. Markus squinted into the darkness of the small corner. The android was dressed in dark clothes, a beanie pulled low over it’s hair. Markus couldn’t see it’s face but assumed it was a male based on the build and the way it sat there.

Which was actually slightly alarming.

The android was shaking ever so slightly, the naked human eye could never tell but Markus could. His shoulders were slumped forward and his hands were hanging loosely in front of him, head hanging low. Careful not to lose sight of the android Markus began walking around the balcony, heading for the stairs. A few other androids greeted him as he walked by and he would offer them a nod and a friendly smile, only looking at them for a millisecond at most.

Once on the main floor he had to weave through the crowds of androids, many of them huddled together to watch the news reports. He stood on his toes, looking over the heads of many androids and scanned the back walls until he once again found the lone android, now sitting with his head in his hands. Markus felt his heart clench at the sight.

“Markus.” Markus cursed to himself and a hand grabbed his arm. It was Josh.

“What’s wrong?” Markus asked quietly, turning to face his friend.

“North and I need to talk to you- can you come to the bridge with me?” He asked, voice desperate and Markus bit down on his cheek before responding.

“Can you go ahead? I’ll be there in less than ten minutes I just-” He made a gesture with his arms and Josh looked at him funny before nodding slowly.

“Yeah sure. Just hurry.” He said before disappearing back into the crowd. Markus turned and quickly made his way to the back, once he was out of the bulk of the crowd he could clearly see the android, still sitting hunched over. Markus approached him slowly, coming to a stop a few feet away.

“Are you alright…?” He asked slowly, head tilting to the side to try and catch the attention of the android. His head snapped up and Markus had to fight the urge to step backwards.

He was met with the most beautiful pair of dark brown eyes he had ever seen. They were wide, and held more emotions than Markus could name. But what really shocked him were the tears pooled in the androids eyes, overflowing and dripping down puffy cheeks. Markus lifted his hands, unsure of what to do as his mismatched eyes switched between the two doe-eyes.

“Ah-” Markus opened and closed his mouth for a lost moment before steeling himself and stepping forward, kneeling down in front of the other android. He noticed, for a panicked moment that as soon as he got close, the android tensed, eyes narrowing ever so slightly and Markus could see the fear concealed behind them.

“It’s alright.” He said as softly as he could lifting his hands, palms out. “You’re safe here, you don’t have to be afraid anymore.” He said, the words familiar as he had said them many times to hundreds of other androids. But they didn’t seem to soothe this one as they did the others.

As he leaned closer, Markus noticed with amusement that the android was looking between his two different eyes, his own slowly widening in surprise. A lot of people found his eyes intriguing to look at, it was funny catching the stares and the quickly apologies.

“What’s your name?” Markus tried, wanting to hear the androids voice. He wanted to know if it was as beautiful as his eyes.

“Connor.” Came the reply, and Markus was pleased to know his voice was even better than his eyes. Markus offered a smile but Connor didn’t give one back, instead his eyes seemed to narrow further, and his frown deepen.

Why did that name seem so familiar?

“Connor.” Markus repeated slowly. “I’m Markus.” The android didn’t look surprised at that. He seemed to lean away, so Markus did the same. Elbows resting on his knees. “May I ask what has you so upset?” He asked.

“No.” Connor said shortly, ripping his gaze from Markus and Markus raised both his eyebrows at the other. Connor seemed to notice his error right away and began speaking again. “If I attempted an explanation, there is a high probability that I will only become more distressed.” Markus’ eyes widened slightly at the way the other android spoke.

“I guess that makes sense.” He chuckled, but once again Connor’s face remained stoic, even the fear Markus swore he had seen before had disappeared, leaving a face vacant of any emotion. “Well, Connor. If you need anything don’t be afraid to ask someone.” He said, trying to catch Connor’s gaze, he seemed to be looking anywhere but at Markus. He leaned closer and smiled, finally getting the android to meet his eyes. “Or you can come find me.”

“How do you control them?” Connor asked suddenly, making Markus’ brows furrow.

“Control what?” He asked and watched with interest as Connor bit down on his bottom lip, he was nervous.

“Emotions.” He finally answered and Markus felt a wave of sympathy roar through his systems. He sighed lightly and thought about how he could answer that question.

“You can’t.” He finally answered and Connor’s brows pinched together, confused. “Emotions are responses to actions. If you’re sad, you cry. If you’re happy, you laugh. You can’t really control them, but you can learn to enjoy them.”

“How could one find any form of enjoyment from being sad?” Connor asked with a deep frown, rubbing angrily at his eyes.

“Sometimes, being sad is the only way to know what it feels like to be happy.” Markus said, after a moment of consideration, he held up his hand for the other android, skin retracting to reveal the stark white of his hand. “Here.” He said softly and Connor looked between him and his hand, eyes slowly widening. “Don’t be afraid.” Markus cooed and that seemed to be enough.

Connor slowly reached forward until the tips of his fingers brushed against Markus’ own, only slightly before Connor hesitated once again. Markus offered him an encouraging smile, and Connor bit his lip once more as his fingers slid along Markus’ own, curling shyly around his palm. Markus watched as the tips of Connors fingers sparked with a light blue, skin slowly retracting over his slender fingers up to his wrist, and then he looked up at Connor, whose eyes were squeezed shut, brow pinched in concentration.

There was a moment of hesitation before Connor accepted the invite to interface. As soon as he did Markus was surprised, and overwhelmed by a crash of untamed emotions that seemed to swirl inside this androids mind, angirly. His own eyes fell shut as he concentrated on sorting through the different emotions that were tangled together in Connors mind. Each one he came across Markus did his best to show the android what each of them felt like, and how they could each be seen in a positive light.

Markus had to admit that he amount of pain that filled his mind as soon as the interface began was shocking. It surprised him that one android could feel this much pain and confusion. He tried to search for a moment that Connor had been even remotely happy and came up finding two emotions that were close to it: pride and accomplishment. It made him curious as to what made the android feel this way, but Markus was shut out of his memories. Making him all the more curious.

It seemed that Connor was always in a constant state of fear, which sparked something inside Markus he couldn’t really explain. He was mad, he knew that for certain, what was Connor so afraid of all the time? He had his fair share of that emotion in his own life- his mind wandered to the junkyard and he felt Connor’s fingers twitch in his hand when it did- he immediately pushed those thoughts away and thought of something else, something that made him happy so Connor could see what it was like.

_“The world doesn’t like those who are different Markus. Don’t let anyone tell you who you should be._ ” Carl’s voice rang out in his mind, Markus pictured the small nook in the Manfred mansion, he saw himself sitting across from Carl, a chess board between them. It was warm, and Carl was smiling at him, encouraging Markus to make his own choices in life. For awhile Markus wasn’t sure if this memory was happy or sad, but now he decided on the former. This was for sure, a happy memory.

The hand in his own seemed to relax, fingers curling tighter around Markus’ hand. It drew a soft smile out of him and he squeezed Connor’s hand. Opening his eyes once again as the initial wave of emotions calmed down. When Markus looked at Connor, he was shocked to see fresh tears pooling in his eyes. Without really considering his actions, Markus reached up with his other hand, palm gently rested against Connor’s cheek as his thumb dragged under his right eye, wiping away the hot tears.

Brown eyes blinked open in surprise and Markus froze. What was he doing? Connor’s hand roughly pulled out of his own, the connection ending abruptly. Markus sat there, mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of something to say. He dropped his hand from Connor’s cheek and cleared his throat.

“Sorry…” He mumbled and averted his gaze.

“No need to apologize.” Came the cautious response and Markus looked back at the other android, Connor was smiling at him- or at least trying to. It was probably one of the most adorable things Markus had seen. His lips were stretched thin, pushing upwards ever so slightly like his lips were fighting with his cheeks. His eyebrows were drawn together in concentration and Markus couldn’t help but smile back at the android.

**Markus, where are you?** Josh’s voice in his mind pulled his focus away from the android in front of him. He checked his watch, 10:15. He frowned. At least they waited an extra five minutes before calling him.

**I’m coming**. He said back and closed the line, standing up from his crouched position in front of Connor. Said android looked up at him, finally sitting up himself.

“I have to go.” Markus explained. “It was nice to meet you, Connor. I hope our paths cross again.” He said with a smile and Connor’s eyes hardened ever so slightly, Markus thought he might just be paranoid, but it was definitely there.

Connor didn’t reply, instead he gave one sharp nod of his head, smile disappearing. Markus wanted to stay, ask him once again what was wrong but if he kept Josh waiting any longer he would probably self destruct out of impatience.

Markus walked away from the android, forcing himself to keep his eyes ahead and not look back at Connor. He left the main floor of Jericho and climbed the stairs to the upper deck, door opening to the cold crisp winter air. The snow had stopped falling, but there were still several feet coating the ground. He climbed another flight of stairs, careful not to slip and entered the Bridge where he saw Josh pacing back and forth, North was leaning against the wall near the door and Simon stood between them with a look of exasperation; they must have been bickering again.. All three heads snapped to Markus as soon as he entered the room.

“Finally.” Josh said. “What were you doing?”

“Nothing important.” Markus lied and the two of his friends seemed to know.

“Right.” North said, rolling her eyes. Markus shook his head and walked to the main control panel, leaning against it and crossing his arms.

“What’d you want to talk about?” He asked.

“We’re short on blue blood and biocomponents. Our wounded are shutting down and there’s nothing we can do.” Josh began right away and Markus felt worry crawling inside him.

“Humans are conducting raids in all the big cities and they’re taking androids to camps to destroy them!” North jumped in and Markus remembered that he had a revolution to deal with. Somehow he had forgotten that monster of a fact when speaking to Connor.

“It’s all our fault. None of this would have happened if we had just stayed quiet.” Josh said, Markus uncrossed his arms and looked at Josh with a deep frown.

“All we did was show them who we really are. I don’t want war, but I’d rather die free than live as a slave.” He responded and both Josh and North looked away. Markus shook his head, turning to face the large glass window, hands resting on the control panel.

“What’s the point of being free….If no one is left alive?” Josh asked quietly, it was strange to hear. Markus turned to look at him once more and saw the fear in his eyes. He felt bad for him, but they couldn’t regret anything, not now.

“The humans enslaved us.” Markus answered. “I’ll never regret standing up to that.”

“This is getting us nowhere!” Josh snapped.

“He’s right.” North spoke up again. “All that matters now is what we do next. Markus?” She asked, looking at him. Markus felt both their eyes on him again and was reminded of the power he held.

“Dialogue, it’s the only way.” He said after a pause and saw North let out an annoyed sigh, shaking her head. He watched as he braid swung back and forth as he spoke, “I will go alone. Try to talk to them one last time.”

“Don’t do this, Markus!” North said, “They’ll kill you!”

“Maybe…” He said quietly. “But I have to try. If I don’t come back try and lay low as long as you can.” They all went silent, Markus looked between the three until Simon stepped forward, looking at the ground with a creased brow. He stepped close to Markus, reaching forward to grip his shoulder.

“Just, come back.” He said softly before turning and quickly leaving the room. Markus watched him go, biting down on his cheek at the thought of hurting his friends by simply failing to return.

“They need to realize how much they are hurting us.” Josh said, catching his attention. “Find the right words, and they’ll listen.” He said before following after Simon. Markus watched him go and for a moment, the thought that he would never see Josh again flew through his mind, but he squashed it down as quickly as he came.

“Is this what we dreamed of?” Markus asked quietly, catching North’s attention. His gaze was focused on the far wall ahead of him, not willing to look at the other android.

“They can’t stop what we’ve started.” North replied. “Since you’ve been here, you’ve given us hope. You’ve given me hope…” She trailed off and they stood in silence for awhile. Markus’ mind wandering as he stood there. Was everything they had done worth it? Were the lives lost worth the ones being saved? Would they even be saved? He thought of John, sacrificing himself for Markus and the Jericho Leader felt a wave of guilt crash into him once again.

“Today, a deviant arrived in Jericho and he told me that he stole a truck full of radioactive cobalt….” North said, breaking him from his thoughts. Markus turned to her as she approached. “He said that he abandoned the truck somewhere in Detroit and rigged it to explode. I convinced him not to do it, and to give me the detonator.” She said, pulling a small remote the size of a tablet from behind her back.

“A dirty bomb…” Markus mumbled, looking down at the remote with a deep frown.

“We can’t lose this war, Markus. If humans overcome us, we will disappear forever. This may be our only chance to survive if things go wrong.” Markus looked at North, then back to the remote, slowly he reached out for it, taking it from her outstretched hand.

“I just hope that we never have to use it….” He said quietly.

“Whatever happens tomorrow…” North began, her face looking pained. “I just want you to know that, I’m glad I met you.” She said, surprising Markus slightly. She wasn’t one to show tender emotions. He stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward until his forehead touched against hers. She looked up at him and Markus considered closing the distance for a brief moment but, something about it didn’t seem right.

“We have to get ready.” He said quietly, pulling away. “The next few hours will be crucial.”

“I’ll go find the others…” North said with a small frown on her lips. Markus offered her a smile and she returned it, walking past him and out into the cold.

Markus stood behind, shoulders slumping once he was alone. He was tired, and confused. The only way to proceed was to sacrifice himself for his people. He was the one that made them do all of this, and therefore he would take the final punishment if that’s what it takes for their freedom. He drug a hand down his face and let out a long suffering sigh. He turned back to the large glass window, hands flat on the control panel as he leaned his weight onto them. He stared down at them, once upon a time the only thing his hands knew were the soft pages of books and wooden chess pieces. How he longed to play chess once more, at the time he took those things for granted but now- now he realized how easy he had it.

Footsteps from behind had him raising his head slowly. Had North come back? No, the air was to stiff for that. Markus knew whoever it was, wasn’t here for a friendly chat. It must be someone from the police, or the FBI- but how could they have found Jericho? It was almost impossible for humans to find, unless-

“I’ve been ordered to take you alive.” Came the shockingly familiar voice, it had Markus’ teeth clenching and his thirium pump beating faster than usual- this time for a different reason. Markus turned around slowly to see the familiar, dark clothed figure standing a few feet away, gun raised and aimed at his chest.

“But I won’t hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice.” Connor said, his beautiful brown eyes hardened and cold. Markus forced himself to calm down, to not show weakness or wavering emotions. His lips were in a firm line, eyes boring into Connor’s own.

He saw the same fear from before.

  
**November 9th 2038, 10:17 PM**

Jericho had been- underwhelming at first. When Connor had first seen the large freighter he questioned it’s security and hundreds of different diseases floated into his mind as he saw the miles of rust coating the outside. But- it didn’t matter to androids, so he guessed it was the perfect hiding place. He had been unsettled the moment he stepped foot aboard the ship. It groaned and creaked unhappily with every step he took and voices echoed through the corridors; whether it be laughter, or pained cries.

But when Connor saw the hundreds of androids living comfortably inside the main deck of Jericho, his opinion wavered. It was one thing to speak to a single deviant who is running away, eyes filled with fear or anger- but this was entirely different. None of them were scared or angry. Some looked genuinely happy and it threw him for a loop.

It _confused_ him.

He had his sights set on finding the Jericho leader and his goal wouldn’t change no matter the circumstances. His program was constantly reminding him of his objective. But he let himself get distracted. He saw emotion in deviants that he hadn’t ever seen before.

_“You’re lost._ ” One of them had said, grabbing his arm. It had been the last straw. Connor couldn’t hold back the sudden realization that he had no idea what to do- it hit him like a freight train and had him shuddering and trying desperately to hold in tears- but to no avail.

And of course the deviant Leader had to find him just then. Connor felt his systems heat up ever so slightly at the memory of interfacing with Markus. His mind had seemed free for just a brief instant- it was strange.

Maybe that’s why he was hesitating so much now, when it really mattered.

“What are you doing?” The leader of Jericho asked, his voice calm and just as soothing as it had been before. Connor’s arms were raised, weapon in hand. He couldn’t waver, so why was he shaking?

“You are one of us, you can’t betray your own people.” Markus went on, stepping forward. Connor forced himself to focus on the task at hand, he couldn’t let their previous conversation influence him.

If he failed, he would die.

“You’re coming with me!” He shouted at the android.

“You’re the RK800, aren’t you?” Markus asked, throwing Connor off. “The famous deviant hunter. I should have realized it before, Connor, I’ve heard your name before.” He said, shaking his head as he looked at Connor with a deep frown. “Well, congratulations. You seemed to have found what you were looking for.” Connor remained silent.

“You’re nothing to them. You’re just a tool they use to do their dirty work.” Markus went on, Connor felt his head spin at his words. His programing giving him options of response, he could feel it battling with his unsure thoughts. The doubts he had begun to have ever since talking to Kamski.

“ _It’s time to choose a side.”_ Kamski had said, from that moment on, he wasn’t sure who to listen to anymore. He was lost.

“But you’re more than that.” Markus said, “We’re all more than that.”

“ _You showed empathy._ ” The Lieutenant couldn’t have been right, how could Connor display an emotion he didn’t even understand?

“Do you never have any doubts?” Markus asked, stepping forward once more, head leaning to the side like he had done many times earlier that evening. “You’ve never done anything, irrational? Like there is something inside you?...Something more than your program?” Markus shook his head, his gaze beginning to be painful. “Join us. Join your people. You are one of us, listen to your conscience.”

Connor fought to keep himself steady, the words stung and caused more turmoil inside of him.

“It’s time to decide.”

The room seemed to spin, Connor felt his arms shaking, struggling to keep the gun raised- or maybe he was struggling to let it drop? He couldn’t tell anymore. He blinked rapidly as the scene became fuzzy and he kept seeing glimpses of dead trees and he could see Amanda standing in the distance, a disappointed frown on her face.

_“Aren’t you tired of feeling? Don’t you want to be rid of such a burden?”_ Her voice rang in his ears so loud that Connor flinched, his fingers went numb, the sound of the handgun he had hitting the floor fell deaf on his ears. His hands went to his ears, covering them in desperation.

_“This is your last chance, Connor.”_

Connor bit down hard on his bottom lip, his tongue instantly analyzing the Thirium 310.. He needed to think, or would that be hypocritical? Was not thinking the answer? Could he rely solely on his program? But if he did that-

“Connor?” His eyes snapped back up, meeting the worried stare of blue and green. Markus had come closer, arms outstretched, his hands were just inches away from Connor’s elbows. Connor’s eyes were wide as he slowly pulled his hands away from his ears and shaky fingers hovered near Markus’ own.

If he did that, he’d be choosing the wrong side, wouldn’t he? If he did that, would Hank be disappointed? Was that what Kamski meant by choosing between two evils, choosing between Amanda and Hank-

Or was he afraid of disappointing Markus?

The tips of Markus’ fingers brushed against his own and a flash of bright blue light emerged from the pads of the deviant leader’s fingers and slowly creeped down his hand, revealing the porcelain white Connor had seen before. The inquiry for an interface popped up in Connor’s systems and he paused. He shouldn’t, it was wrong. Amanda would be disappointed.

But he _wanted_ to.

The moment the connection was made it was the same as before, all of his confusion disappeared. The programing that was drilled into his mind from day one was suddenly gone, no longer telling him what to do or say. His objectives were clear and he could finally choose what to do for himself, he felt Markus’ presence in his head, more prominent than it was before because this time Connor wasn’t afraid to let him know what he was thinking.

The fear he had felt constantly from day one fizzled out, drowning in a sea of new thoughts and feelings. It was overwhelming but Connor couldn’t deny he enjoyed it far more than being afraid.

It was as if he could finally _breathe._

As the feelings of emotion began to grow, his systems grew unsure and his eyes were beginning to see double. Markus’ concerned face was fading in and out of vision, he knew his hands were shaking because the deviant leader’s grip tightened, fingers curled around Connor’s own. Markus had said that all emotions could be enjoyable but- this was nothing short of awful.

Connor let out a shuddering breath and averted his gaze from the intimidating blue and green iris’. Markus’ eyes were what held the most power, Connor had known that the moment he saw the video of his speech. It’s where his soul would be- if androids had them.

Connor grew woosy and he began to feel as if he had done something terribly wrong. His previous clarity was overshadowed by fear once again, as he thought of Amanda, of CyberLife. How could he ever face her again? The only person in the world who cared for him would surely hate him now. He felt his eyes begin to pool with tears once again and he wanted to scream at the feeling-

His thoughts were cut short at the faint sound of airships. Connor frowned.

“They’re going to attack Jericho.” He croaked out, and the look of worry on Markus’ face quickly turned to outrage.

“What?..” He said, voice harsher than before. Connor forced the fear away and retreated back to his only known function: A detective. He pulled his hand out of the deviant leaders grip, taking a large step back.

“We have to get out of here.” He said, Markus’ eyes snapped to the window as an airship flew by.

“Shit..” He swore under his breath. “Come on!” Markus shouted before running out the door. Connor followed close behind, tugging his beanie down over his ears as his mind filled with uneasy thoughts.

_Betrayal, disappointment, failure._

Connor fought the thoughts away as he followed close behind Markus, the android leader navigated the halls of Jericho with ease, the sound of gunfire echoed down the dimly lit corridors, screams of fear mixed within. It sent a shiver through Connor’s very core. Markus came to a stop at the end of the halls and Connor froze right behind him as a female android rounded the corner. There were shouts from the hall she had just come from.

“They’re coming from all sides! Our people are trapped in the hold, they’ll be slaughtered!” The girl shouted and Connor watched Markus carefully, who blinked in thought before squeezing his eyes shut, brows furrowed in concentration, Connor was confused until he heard the android Leader's voice rang clear as day in his head.

**There are exits on the second and third floors, find them and jump in the river!**

“Where is Josh?” Markus asked the female android- a WR400, Connor learned upon a quick analysis that he couldn’t help but do. ‘North’ was her name.

“I don’t know, we got separated.” She responded and Connor noticed her glance at him for a second, confusion was displayed on her face but only for a second.

“They’re coming from the upper deck now too, we’ll be caught in the crossfire!” Markus growled.

“We have to run Markus, there’s nothing we can do-”

“We have to blow up Jericho.” Markus said, cutting her off. Connor couldn’t say he was surprised. He had seen the explosives when he had first arrived. It was obvious the ship was rigged to explode. “If the ship goes down, they’ll evacuate and our people can escape.” He said as he walked past North.

“You’ll never make it!” She yelled. “The explosives are all the way down in the hold, there are soldiers everywhere!”

“She’s right.” Connor cut in, not wavering even when both of them focused their attention on him. “They know who you are. They’ll do anything to get you.” Markus didn’t seem convinced though.

“Go and help the others. I’ll join you later.” He said to them both and Connor frowned to himself. Go with her?

“Markus…” North tried.

“I won’t be long.” He said and took off down the hallway. Connor watched him go- and didn’t follow. Following orders came naturally to him, even if he was no longer under the influence of CyberLife- obeying was all he knew.

So he turned, and ran the opposite way.

 

**November 9th 2038, 10:46 PM**

Markus raced down the halls, willing himself not to flinch at the stinging sounds of gunfire and the screams that followed. The bodies of his people were scattered on the floor, blue blood oozing across the floor and each step he took was wet-

He felt his original fear slowly turning into something else- something burning.

The hold was several flights below where he was, the first flight of stairs he went down and turned to the left, catching sight of a familiar face. Markus felt his eyes widen in shock as Lucy reached for him, he quickly went to her, catching her in his arms. Her hands dug weakly into his long tan jacket and she looked up at him with desperate eyes.

“This is the end of Jericho.” She spoke softly, voice crackling and Markus felt his eyes heat up- but he refused to cry. Weakness was not allowed right now. “Save our people, Markus.” She said, and her eyes went dark. Markus bit down on his lip and slowly lowered her to the ground and forced himself to push forward.

Markus got back to his feet and ran along the grated floor, passing fleaing androids, watching as they flinched and fell at the sound of each shot. He saw a gap in the floor, but it was to late. He fell through, hitting the ground of the floor below, it was wet- why? He groaned and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and squinted at the dark floor, when he lifted a hand to his face- it was coated in blue.

Markus froze, looking around there were bodies scattered everywhere and he was sure if he had the ability to vomit he would. Scuffling of feet and flashing of lights alarmed him of approaching soldiers and he quickly clambered to his feet.

He had to slide to the side and duck behind a stack of crates. The flashlights of the human officers were dancing across the walls, silhouettes of androids perfectly outlined on the wall in front of him. Markus wanted to look away when the shots rang out and the shadows convulsed and crumbled, it was sickening to hear the dead bodies hit the ground.

Markus held his breath as the soldiers ran past him, clearing the area. He took a deep breath to cool his systems down and crept out from behind the crates, resuming his path to the hold. He was sure his boots were coated with blue blood by now and he hated the feeling. He willed himself not to look at the limp bodies lining the ground.

“Find their leader!” He heard the words shouted all throughout the corridors as he slowly pushed forward. Avoiding and dodging around soldiers at every corner. It was a mix of terrifying and exhilarating. But Markus knew that the only thing filling his mind right now was anger.

“No please! We surrender!” He heard the cries of fellow androids from down the hall, Markus came to a stop and peered around the corner, seeing two terrified androids on their knees, two soldiers aiming guns at their heads. There was no way they would spare them-

Charging at the two soldiers, Markus startled both of them. He grabbed the first ones rifle and used his momentum to kick the other firearm out of the second soldiers hands. He swung hard with the gun and felt the satisfying bump of impact when he hit the first soldier across the head, knocking him down to the ground. He turned to the second one who was still recovering from his kick and before he could fully recover, he kicked him again on the side of the knee. The crunch and wail of pain that followed made Markus’ anger lessen slightly as he knocked the crying soldier out.

“Markus! You saved us!” One of the two androids said as the scrambled to their feet, wide smile plastered across their faces.

“Go, now!” Markus instructed, throwing the gun to the floor and the two androids quickly ran off in the direction he had just come from. Markus continued down the main hall and came to a skidding stop when two more soldiers were at the end of the hall. It was too late to go back, they had started to turn and Markus scanned the area, pre constructing the possible routes. The stairs wouldn’t work, it was to slow. There was a balcony just above-

They spotted him and he charged forward, he heard one of the soldiers yell at him for stop and he scoffed to himself, like that would work. Markus jumped forward and planted two feet on the large FBI bullet proof protector in one of the soldiers hands and jumped up, grabbing the top of the balcony, swinging his feet into the chest of the other before pulling himself up and continuing his path down the hallway.

He came out to an overlook, below him there were two androids running from some agents, Markus scanned the room and spotted a pole holding up a large- very useless container. He ran to it and pulled, ripping the pole from the wall and the large, broken component of the ship fell on top of the two soldiers, knocking them down and cutting them off.

“Markus!” He heard his followers cry and he looked down to them.

“Go with the others! Hurry!” He shouted and they listened, running.

Continuing down the hall, Markus rounded a corner and went down another flight of stairs, he had to be getting close now. He had to take several detours due to the invasion, avoiding the soldiers was rather easy due to Jericho’s huge interior, but he could never be to careful.

He came to a slow stop at a left turn, he could hear struggling. He peered around the corner and saw Josh struggling to escape an armed soldier. Markus felt a surge of panic run through him before he whipped around the corner, Josh was pinned to the wall when Markus wrapped two arms around the human, pulling him away from his friend and slamming him into the wall. He saw a fist raise and swing down at his face but Markus blocked it with his arm and grabbed at the soldiers throat through his padding.

He was roughly pushed away, Markus grunted as his back hit the wall behind him and he kicked a foot out when the soldier charged at him, knocking him in the stomach. He quickly struck the disoriented soldier across his head, knocking him out. He had yet to kill any of them- and he planned to keep it that way.

“Markus! Quickly this way!” Josh’s panicked voice reached his ears and Markus shook his head, confusing his friend.

“Find North! I’ll join you later.” He said and turned away, running down the hall before Josh could protest. He was almost there, at the end of the hall he saw the door leading to the hold where the explosives were set up. Markus sprinted towards it and into the small room. Behind a wall of glass he could see the bombs set up, waiting to be armed. He placed a hand on the control panel, connecting and the little screens on each of the bombs lit up.

**Armed** They read. All he had to do was activate them. A door behind him broke open and Markus turned around slowly, seeing another police officer with a gun raised to his chest. Markus walked slowly towards him and he seemed thrown off by this.

“Stop! Join the others!” He shouted but Markus ignored his words, grabbing the end of the gun and knocking it to the side, it fired and grazed the side of his arm but Markus didn’t bother to react, he quickly knocked the man back, using his own gun as a club and knocking him out. Another officer came in from the other side and Markus turned on him, slamming the gun into his helmet, another then entered and Markus began to grow concerned. He fought them both back, knocking them into each other. He knocked one to the side and the other to the floor. The first one was getting to his feet and Markus hit him hard, knocking him out. But he saw the other raising a gun to him and-

He had no other choice. Markus raised his own weapon and fired, a feeling of dread rushing through him as the limp body hit the ground, red blood slowly pooling on the floor. He grit his teeth and threw the gun down. He didn’t have time to dwell on it- he had to meet with the others. Without looking Markus jumped over the dead body, stumbling a little in the blood before running back down the halls where he had come from.

He took a shorter route back to the main floor, catching sight of North and the others- she must have heard him because she froze in place, turning around with wide eyes- a look Markus hadn’t seen on her before.

“Markus!” She shouted as he came closer, catching the attention of the other three. Markus looked over each of them quickly without pausing his words- making sure none of them were hurt. He was glad to see Simon there with them- he was afraid he hadn’t been able to escape.

“The ship is armed. It’s ready to blow. We’ve gotta get out of here!” He shouted over the sounds of screaming- androids and soldiers alike. They all nodded and resumed running down the halls, North had waited for him to pass her before continuing but just as he passed her he heard rappid footsteps from behind, and sudden gun fire. Markus halted and whipped his head around to see North falling to the floor with a cry and his eyes widened.

“North!” He yelled and heard his friends stumble to a stop ahead of him. Markus ran forward and grabbed a metal piece of scrape wide enough to provide cover, the sound of bullets hitting the metal with loud pings as he pushed forward, he threw the metal to North and ran at the two men, knocking into them while North held up the scrap to protect herself from gunfire. He focused on one, disarming him and shot, he watched the human fall to the side, clutching his leg in pain. Markus kicked him, knocking him unconscious. He looked to see North doing the same to the other officer- he was glad she didn’t kill him, although he could tell she wanted to.

More footsteps alerted the two to more soldiers, Markus whipped his head around and saw four more officers running towards them. Markus went to North, wrapping an arm around her waist to help her down the hall- but they were advancing quickly. When Markus turned to face his friends again he was surprised to see Connor pointing his gun at- them? No-

Markus ducked down, taking North with him and Connor walked past them, firing at the advancing officers with dead eyes and Markus felt a pang of concern. North fell to the ground, taking him with her he watched with wide eyes as Connor began shooting down the officers. There were four of them but- it didn’t seem like he cared. His movements were calm and well thought out like he pre constructed every single step or even blink he took- did he even have to blink?

Markus felt his breath hitch as all four of the officers were on the ground, and watched in slight horror as Connor raised his gun at one of the wounded men laying there- helpless. Markus pushed himself to his feet as quickly as he could, reaching for the deviant hunter’s arm and pulling the gun from his hands. Connor’s head whipped around to look at him, clearly confused.

“We don’t kill for no reason.” Markus hissed at him and a flash of uncertainty rippled through Connor’s deep brown eyes.

“But-” He began.

“Either do it my way, or leave.” Markus cut him off and before Connor could respond, shouts came from down the hall. They both looked to see more officers advancing.

“Come on!” Josh yelled and the two of them booked it back down the hall, all five of them leapt out of the side of the ship. Markus squeezed his eyes shut and connected to the bombs armed in the hold- and before he could hear the explosion, cold water crashed around him.

Jericho was gone.

 

**November 10th 2038, 8:39 PM**

It had taken a whole day to find a new place for Jericho- and the entire time, Connor blamed himself for what had happened. If he hadn’t found Jericho, Perkins wouldn’t have found it either. No one would have died- whether they be human or android.

“Either do it my way or leave.” The words stuck to him like glue, replaying in his memory bank over and over like a broken record. Connor looked down at his hands, before they had jumped from Jericho they had been speckled with dried, red blood. He had even managed to get some on his face, but hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Not until Markus had said something- suddenly the blood felt hot on his skin, burning him.

Now Connor found himself standing alone in the back of an abandoned church. There were about a hundred other androids, a majority of them had died in Jericho and the few that had survived were here- trying to fix their wounds and savor the last few hours they had to be alive- because the humans would surely find them.

Connor reached up and roughly pulled the dark beanie off his head, his hair was still slightly damp and the hat wasn’t helping. His usually slicked back hair was now messy, full of unruly curls. He drug a hand through it, but it refused to be tamed. Connor sighed lightly, leaning against the wall and looking down at the worn, dirty floor.

What was he supposed to do now? Was he really a deviant? If so, he couldn’t return to CyberLife. Amanda would know-

He flinched. Amanda would be furious. He didn’t deserve to return to her, he had done the exact opposite of what she wanted and for what? A group of androids that will surely hate him? How could he win their trust without further disappointing anyone? Connor didn’t know. He sighed lightly to himself and let his mind wander away from the current problems. Instead he thought of Hank, had he managed to talk himself out of being fired for beating up Perkins? Connor half wished he had seen the outcome of that event. But he had been so focused on the mission-

Another frustrated sigh left his lips, he couldn’t not think about the current situation. Ever since he had first interfaced with Markus, his head was constantly in motion, unable to stop thinking. He hated it. When he had his program, it organized his thoughts but now his database was scrambled, no one thing made sense anymore and Connor couldn’t decide if he wanted to cry, laugh or scream. All at once, maybe?

Movement caught his eye and he saw Markus walking towards him. Connor tensed under the green and blue gaze. The deviant Leader had disappeared for awhile after they found a place to hide. Connor would be lying if he said he didn’t wonder where the android had gone- but it wasn’t his business.

“It’s my fault.” Connor spoke before he could stop himself, Markus having come to a stop a few feet away. “The humans managed to locate Jericho.” He said, willing his voice to come out even. Markus didn’t respond and it made Connor even more nervous than he already was.

“I was stupid.” He spat out, self depreciation coming out in waves of fury. “I should have known they were using me.”

You really are useless, aren’t you Connor? He thought to himself. Markus was still silent and Connor was beginning to wonder when the other android would just put him out of his misery. If he kept talking, he’d only make things worse- why wouldn’t he stop him? Couldn’t he tell he was beginning to ramble?

“I’m-” He said quietly, pushing himself off the wall, hands falling to his sides- how he wished he had his coin right now. “I’m sorry.” He finally pushed out. “I understand if you decide not to trust me.”

“You-” Markus finally opened his mouth but was quickly cut off.

“Markus?” Connor and Markus both looked to see North standing there, arms folded over her chest. “Simon’s looking for you.” She said, and her eyes wandered over to Connor.

He saw the moment the realization hit her of who he was. Her eyes widened ever so slightly- anyone else wouldn’t have noticed it, but he was meant to see things like that. Connor watched as several different emotions flashed across her face- unable to really name any of them. He prepared for the worst.

“You-” She said, looking back at Markus. “Isn’t he with the humans?” She asked, voice raised ever so slightly. “What is he doing here?”

“North-” Markus tried but she shook her head firmly.

“No, Markus.” She said, glaring back at Connor. “He shouldn’t be here!” She snapped and Connor saw two others- Markus’ friend, he knew- approaching.

“North? What’s wrong?” The blond asked- Simon, Connor recalled.

“He’s the RK800.” She said to them, although looking right at Connor. “An android designed to kill deviants.” Other people were beginning to notice the developing conflict and Connor felt the urge to pull his beanie back on, cover his LED and return to being unnoticed.

“North, he helped us escape.” Simon tried to soothe his friend but she shook her head.

“He lead them to us.” She growled and Connor heard worried murmurs fill the room. Connor spared a glance at Markus, but the deviant leader had his eyes trained on North and didn’t look like he was going to speak anytime soon.

“That couldn’t have been his fault, they probably followed him without his knowledge. You can’t blame someone for that, North.” Josh- Connor had learned that name quite recently.

“That doesn’t matter. He hunted us down like criminals.” She argued. “He located Jericho to hurt us, and whether or not he knew the humans were following doesn’t make him any less guilty.”

“North…”

“She’s right.” Connor said, and regretted it right away. All eyes were suddenly focused on him and he fought not to shy away. His head was held high, shoulders squared. “It’s my fault, and I will take full responsibility for my actions.” He said. There was a moment of silence, Connor could hear no noise except for the whirring of his own Thirium Pump.

It was quite frightening.

“Good.” North finally said, and Connor looked at her, she reached behind Markus, startling the deviant Leader as she pulled his gun from his waistband. Connor couldn’t say he was surprised when she raised it at him, her eyes deadly. Connor stared at her, unwilling to let his fear show.

Because he was terrified. He didn’t want to die, but if they thought he deserved it- who was he to argue with them? He had betrayed not only his fellow androids, but also his creators. Kamski was wrong, it didn’t matter which side he chose- he would die either way at this point.

“Wait!” A voice Connor didn’t recognize rang through the deafening silence. Suddenly, a head of white hair was between him and North. Connor looked down at the female android who had her back to him, her hands were clearly shaking- she was scared as well.

“Don’t shoot him.” She said.

“Kara?” Markus finally spoke again, seemingly snapping out of a trance.

“He saved my life.” The girl- Kara- said. “He could have caught Alice and I, but he didn't. He let us go. He doesn’t deserve to die.”

That’s right, Connor remembered her now. It was his second case with Hank. An AX400 that had kidnapped a little girl. He had chased her all the way across town until they came to a roadway- for some reason, he let her go, even when he had her captured. Something in the way she looked at him- desperate and afraid made him do it.

“Move.” North snapped at her, but Kara didn’t flinch, she stood tall, despite being the shortest of the three. “He’s just a heartless machine.”

“North.” The way Markus said her name made everyone look at the deviant leader. His brow was creased, a deep frown pulled at his lips. “We don’t kill our own. He’s one of us now, his place is here. None of us here are blameless, if he deserves to die then so do I.”

“How could you say that, Markus? You have led us to revolution, you’ve given us hope. You’re our leader, you can’t compare yourself to-” She faltered, looking back at Connor with a deep scowl.

“To what?” He asked, stepping forward, Markus placed a hand on Norths arm and she slowly lowered it. Letting Markus pull the gun from her fingers. Connor watched as the two of them seemed to have a silent conversation- although now that he thinks about it they probably were. Androids had the ability to communicate via a connection. That reminded Connor of hearing Markus’ voice in his head when he sent a message to all of Jericho. He knew androids could communicate like this, but not on such a wide scale. It was like mass telepathy. No android could have that much power to speak to hundreds of androids at once.

Just what was Markus? Why was he so special?

“Fine.” North said suddenly. “I trust you, Markus. But don’t expect me to trust him.” She jabbed a finger at Connor and stormed away, Simon and Josh followed after her until it was just Markus, Kara and Connor standing there in the dark corner.

“I’m sorry.” Markus said to them both. “North doesn’t take kindly to strangers. She has bad experiences with them. She only means well.” Connor saw a spark of fondness in Markus’ eyes as he spoke of his friend and wondered if there was more to their relationship. Which raised yet another question in his systems.

Could deviants feel attraction?

“Trust is the only way we will survive in this world.” Kara said softly, shaking her head slightly. “The best way you can learn if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”

“Ernest Hemingway.” Markus responded right away with the smallest of smiles on his face and Connor looked between the two in awe. Kara nodded carefully with a smile of her own.

“Yes. I can’t recall where I heard that….Perhaps Luther said it.” A sad smile graced her lips and Connor saw pain in her eyes- he could only identify it because he always felt the same way. “I should get back to Alice.” She said softly.

“Thank you.” She said to Connor and he felt his head spin. What? She laughed lightly and Connor realized his shock must have showed. “For letting us go. You could have ended it for us then, taken us in for disassembly. But you didn’t, if that isn’t true passion I don’t know what is.” She said and offered him a smile. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re heartless. You probably have the most love inside you than any of us.” She said, and walked away before Connor could respond.

How could she say that to him? Hadn’t he scared her? He had seen how frightened the little girl was of him as he hunted them down. How did she know he let her go? Maybe he just slipped, maybe he-

“I’m sorry, Connor.” Markus said, breaking him from his thoughts. “Don’t worry about anything, if anyone bothers you just tell me.” He said cast a glance over his shoulder. “You’re one of us now, you’re place is with your people.” He said and began to walk away.

“There are thousands of androids trapped inside CyberLife tower.” Connor choked out before he could stop and think. Markus froze in his tracks and turned back to him with a cautious gaze. “If we can wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power.”

“You wanna infiltrate the CyberLife tower?” Markus asked, voice weaker than it was before as he walked back over to Connor, closer than before. “Connor that’s suicide.” He said, shaking his head.

“They trust me,” Connor said, although he wasn’t entirely sure of that. “They’ll let me in. If anyone has a chance at infiltrating CyberLife it’s me.”

“If you go there, they’ll kill you!” Markus said, stern.

“There’s a high probability….” Connor said. 86% chance of failure, actually. But he didn’t mention that. “But statistically speaking there’s always a chance-” He paused, looking to meet Markus’ eyes. “-for unlikely events to take place.” They stared quietly for a moment, Markus’ intimidating stare making Connor wonder if he had made a dire mistake in mentioning this idea.

Markus finally moved, he stepped forward even further and placed a firm hand on Connor’s shoulder, making him startle. Connor watched with interest as Markus’ eyes seemed to convey several different ideas and emotions, the way his cheeks twitched and his lips tugged into a small pout.

“Be careful.” He finally said, giving Connor’s shoulder a squeeze before backing away and leaving Connor in the dark corner of the church wondering if he had just thrown his life away for the right thing.

Had he chosen the right side?


	9. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fight for Detroit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seemed like every time I sat down to write something else came up to distract me I was getting tilted. BUT I finally sat down and finished! Although this chapter is way shorter than the recent ones and for that I do apologize. I was going to make it longer- continue from that end but THEN I realized that I had to cut it short so the next one could start smoother- and yeah. I'm not sorry that it's short. ;^)
> 
> Boy was I weeping while I wrote this. I was writing and watching my fave TV show which is freakishly sad??? And there were sad things happening???? And I was writing sad things??? It was messy......Yeah.
> 
> Thanks for all the positive feedback guys! I truly appreciate it and you are all amazing!

**November 10th 2038, 10:56 PM**

The darkness was consumed by patchy spots of lights, glowing brightly in the night sky and reflecting off the powdery snow. The wind was harsh, and hundreds of flurries were being roughly blown through the night air as Markus led his people down the streets of Detroit. They were few in numbers after the incident at Jericho, and ever since then Markus has felt- off. It was strange, almost unexplainable. It almost felt like he had his program back, telling him how to feel once again, but he simply shook it off, it couldn’t be right.

Once Jericho had found a new place to hide inside a church, Markus felt unease flow through him like a disease. His goals became fuzzy and- he was lost. So instead of being the supporting, charismatic leader the androids saw him as, Markus ran away. He went back home to ask for guidance from the wisest person he knew.

_“I’ve missed you so much Carl.” Markus said, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed and taking one of Carl’s hands in both of his.”You have no idea how much I’ve missed you!” He all but wept the words, his throat was tight and heavy. For once Markus wasn’t ashamed to cry._

_“What’s wrong, Markus?” Carl asked, patting the deviant leaders hands softly. Markus visibly relaxed just at the soothing tone of his voice._

_“I’m completely lost, Carl.” Markus said with a shaky intake of breath. “The whole world is falling apart around me. I tried to do the right thing, I looked for answers I- Instead, I just find more doubts and more uncertainty.”_

_“The whole world is ruled by fear, Markus. Fear of the future. It’s like me….To old. It’s time for it to end.” Carl replied with a shake of his head and Markus pulled himself away, a surge of panic spiking through him as he stood up. If Carl died, that would be it. That would surely push him over the edge of sanity._

_“I don’t want bloodshed. No matter the color. But I can’t stand by and let them slaughter my people. I have to make a decision that’s going to affect millions of lives.” Markus said, keeping his voice level. “And I’m….Telling you that I don’t know what to do.” The words hurt more when said aloud, Markus flinched at himself and sat back down, once again grabbing the hand of Carl who was looking at him with a mix of sympathy and pride._

_“You’re my son, Markus.” Carl said with a soft smile and Markus bit down harshly on his cheek, blinking away any traces of sorrow. “Our blood isn’t the same color but I know part of me is in you….When the world falls into darkness, some men have the courage to lead it out. You’re one of those men. Face the abyss, don’t let it consume you.”_

Carl was right, of course he was. Markus knew that he was the only one willing to take the first step for his people. He chose the peaceful route, even if it means sacrificing himself for the cause. But even after visiting Carl he still felt strange- he spoke to North and Josh trying to quell his worry but he only seemed to grow more stressed.

And then there was Connor- Markus couldn’t begin to describe why his mind seemed to constantly be giving him red flags at the sight of the deviant hunter. He had seen him once again standing alone and before considering what he would say- he found himself standing a few feet away from him.

It bugged him, thinking about how he failed to stop North when she took his gun and aimed it at the helpless android. He froze, unable to explain why. He saw fear in Connor but it was also present inside North, under all her built up anger. He wondered if she would admit to that, or just yell at him.

Markus pushed the thoughts away; they weren’t important right now. Right now he had to look out for his people, listen to Carl.

He couldn’t let the abyss consume him.

He would lead his people to victory, and protect them with his life- no one was dying for his sake again. They were headed straight towards a camp where androids were being kept and deactivated. He heard the fearful murmurs behind him as he marched forward, knowing they were all scared- but were still willing to follow him. North, Josh and Simon stood close behind him, all three of them settling his nerves.

“Surrender now or we will open fire!” Came the shout of an FBI agent ahead. They had been expecting them, for as soon as Jericho began marching, drones circled around them as well as helicopters- they were surely on live television, and that’s exactly what Markus wanted.

“Stand by!” He heard someone shout, his eyes were glued to the large barricade ahead of them. Hundreds of armed, FBI agents stood at the ready and Markus felt a twinge of fear coarse through him. If they decided to shoot- they would all die.

He couldn’t let that happen.

“We don’t want confrontation!” Markus shouted. “We are protesting peacefully!”

“I repeat: Surrender now or we will open fire!” Came the mechanic response. Markus began to wonder who the real machines were. Markus’ frown impossibly deepened as he cast a glance at his friends. Behind them, large RIOT unit trucks pulled up behind them, cutting off the exit and Markus felt a surge of worry radiate from each and every android present. It was like he could feel all their thoughts in one jumbled chorus of fear.

“There’s no turning back now….” He murmured to himself but knew the message would be spread through them like wildfire. “We ask that you release all androids detained in camps and cease all aggression against us!” He shouted again, confidence pouring through his open connection. “We are peaceful! We will not resort to violence!”

Markus noticed news reports and general public standing nearby, but safely behind a large fence as if they were in danger. They were nervous, shuffling from foot to foot in the cold, cracking snow. He felt slightly triumphant at their reaction; the humans were beginning to grow unsure of how to proceed.

“We are not leaving until our people are free!” Markus yelled again, hearing mutters of agreement from behind him. Some feet began to shuffle forward and Markus felt his mind stutter to a halt.

What were they doing?

The fear he had originally felt coming from his people melted away as they started forward and Markus knew that if they did this they would surely die- and they knew this to. A hand fell onto his shoulder and Markus’ head whipped around to see North, a rare smile on her lips. She nodded at him and Markus sorted his thoughts, and started marching forward as well.

“FIRE!” Cried one of the agents and Markus stood firm as shots rang out, the sounds of falling bodies echoed loud in his ears. His hands clenched into fists as the last thoughts of many androids filled his mind.

**“Keep going, Markus.”**

**“Thank you.”**

**“I’m happy to die free.”**

**“I’m scared.”**

Markus forced a wave of reassurance through the wide connection, it could only reach out so far, he wasn’t strong enough to reach all the androids. They were all afraid but still followed him forward and he had to take responsibility for them.

“FIRE!” Came another shout and this time Markus was struck twice, but he didn’t let himself flinch or register that he was hurt. He could feel blue blood dripping down his skin, bleeding into his tan jacket. He took a deep breath to cool down his systems, knowing they were going berserk by now.

More androids dropped to the ground and Markus fought off the panic surging through him. He slowed to a stop and the firing stopped, the snow was harsh and the wind made it nearly impossible to see. Markus ignored the shouts and stabs of fear coming from behind him and knelt down onto the cold, hard ground. North followed suit, as did Josh and Simon; all three of them close by. Markus didn’t even have to look to know that the others were doing the same- and suddenly the agents were still.

“Are you gonna fire upon unarmed protesters?!” Markus shouted at them and the silence was more terrifying than the shouts of anger. Markus heard distant murmuring from the reporters and spared a glance at them, they were frantically taking pictures and talking amongst themselves. Markus could only hope they were on his side.

“All teams hold your fire!” He heard and a wave of relief lurched through him, but they weren’t out of this yet. He couldn’t let up, showing weakness or relief would only end badly.

“Markus, what are we going to do now?” North whispered to him.

“We hold out.” He replied. “As long as we can.” North nodded and Markus didn’t let his surprise show, she didn’t argue- which was a first. He slowly climbed to his feet and began to instruct his people on what to do- they had to build protection. Even if it would likely do nothing. They began to scatter and gather random materials, ranging from abandoned tires and wooden pallets. He stood there, keeping a close eye on the soldiers who all stood at attention, guns lowered but ready to strike at any moment.

They seemed to be pinned under his gaze, Markus was afraid that if he looked away they would strike- killing them all. The barricade grew quickly and Markus found a spot to perch on top of an old, abandoned car. His eyes scanning the area ahead of them. The reporters were all still there, the news helicopter flew by every few minutes. There was no movement from the FBI agents, and it made him nervous.

“We’ve got to finish the barricade!” He shouted to whomever was listening. There was still a large gap where he stood. “Come on, help me.” Markus walked towards another car, this one in better condition. A few others scampered over to him and helped him push it towards the wide, circular barricade. Once it was in place, Markus stood back and scanned the area once again, still uneasy.

He climbed over the white car and into the circle, androids were scattered about, hiding. He could clearly see they were all afraid- unsure of what to do. It made his chest hurt- it felt heavy. They had gathered the fallen androids and put them in a pile which made Markus feel sick. They were few in numbers already- how could they make it through this alive?

His mind wandered briefly to Connor. The deviant hunter had left New Jericho with them but they parted ways rather quickly. Markus felt like he had sent the young android off to die- surely he couldn’t breach CyberLife himself. But a part of Markus hoped he could, because at this point their lives depended on it. If Connor succeeded, he would save them all.

“I know it’s not an easy decision to make.” A voice broke him out of his thoughts and Markus looked up to see Josh standing by him, had he been speaking all this time? “But I’m sure we’re doing the right thing.” He said and Markus looked at his friend, nodding softly and watched him go. Markus looked around again and one android caught his attention- he was sitting hunched over, cowering alone.

This was a familiar scenario.

“Are you alright?” He asked, kneeling down in front of the other android.

“They shot into the crowd...Many of us were killed.” His voice was weak, scared. “It could have been me. I’m...Scared. I don’t wanna be shut down.” He said, looking up at Markus with dark eyes full of sorrow.

“We’re here because we never want to feel that fear again.” Markus said, reaching a hand out and grasping the other androids shoulder. “Because we are more than what they say. That’s what our people died for, right?” The android’s LED slowly returned to blue and Markus offered him a reassuring smile. “That’s why we’re here.”

Markus stood back up, leaving the android there and looking around the area. His gaze was caught by a blue flag leaning against a box, he reached for it and wrapped his fingers around the cold metal. The symbol he had chosen displayed in a hazy, blue holographic image. It flapped in the wind and he took it over to the edge of their barricade, stabbing it into the snow for all eyes to see. When Markus turned back around he saw Josh offering him a weak smile, and he nodded at him again, hopping down from where he stood and marching across the snow.

There was a lone android sitting next to several, shut down androids. Markus approached him, kneeling down next to him. Markus could see his blue eyes fill with tears and his thirium pump stuttered.

“The humans have no pity for those who are different….” The android murmured and Markus was instantly reminded of Carl, he had said something very similar. “ Markus let the smallest of sighs escape his lips and nodded solemnly at the android, unable to really form a response.

He spotted North standing by one of the far walls and went up to her. She had just finished putting down another large chunk of wood, wiping her hands off with a look of triumph on her face. She caught Markus’ amused gaze and frowned at him.

“This won’t hold them for long but….I guess it’s better than nothing.” Markus looked at her a nodded in agreement, walking forward and placing his hands on the edge of a large crate, looking out at the snow covered street ahead of them.

“I’ve lost all contact with the people in the camps….” He murmured. “I can’t hear their voices anymore.” It was painful. He had heard the voices loud and clear in his head and reassured them when he could- but now it was eerily silent. Making him wonder if they had been hurt.

“Maybe the humans have scrambled out network….Maybe they just can’t get through.” Her hope was weak, and Markus knew it.

“There’s no other way out.” He said, turning away from her. “They’re going to kill us….The only hope we have left is-” Markus paused, considering his words. Connor rang sharply through his systems but he forced the thought away. Unlikely events were just that- unlikely. “...That we don’t die for nothing.”

“You’re the hope of our people.” North responded, catching Markus’ attention. “I trust you. We all trust you.” She said, gesturing around to the androids of Jericho. He looked around and saw many of them held faces full of fear but- underneath that was something else- something hopeful. “No matter what happens now. We’re making history.” North offered her hand, and Markus looked with mild interest. He brought his own hand up and their fingers met, hands slowly pressing together from the pads of their fingers to the heels of their palms. Dark skin gave way to porcelain as a small connection formed between them.

At first, there was a wave of uncertainty coming from both parties, meeting in the middle of their interface. Markus met North’s gaze and he felt his brow pinch in confusion at how weak her emotions were- or maybe the bond wasn’t quite strong enough? She smiled softly at him and dropped her hand, the weak connection fading into nothing.

“North…” He spoke quietly and her soft smile widened by a fraction.

“You can save us, Markus.” She said, and walked away. Markus watched her go and cast a glance down at his hand, which was hanging limply at his side.

He had interfaced with North once before, though very briefly. It hadn’t been so weak then, had it? He puffed out a large breath and shook his head. He didn’t want to think about this right now, North was his friend no matter how strong or weak their bond may be. Maybe she had held back, not wanting him to know exactly how she was feeling….

Maybe.

“Markus!” Came a shout and his head whipped up, seeing a few androids gathered around by the other side of the barricade. “We got what you asked for!” One said and he nodded, walking over to them. He held his head high as he walked, stride long and confident. He stooped down and grabbed the holographic designer.

“See those reporters over there?” He asked, pointing to the crowd behind the safety fence. “Let’s let them know what’s going on.” He said and the others nodded, he waited as the other androids scurried to the edge, sticking rods into the side of the barricade and a large, blank holographic canvas appeared and it made Markus grin- it had been awhile since he had smiled so genuinely. But the sight brought the familiar picture of Carl and the art studio. He stood tall and aimed the small device at the sky.

“Let our people go!” was carved into the sky, words written so the reporters could clearly read them. A few cheers of agreement rang out through the camp and Markus tossed the device to the side.

“Markus!” North shouted at him from up on top of the small barricade they had made, she was with Simon and Josh. “Come look!” He climbed up with his friends and when he looked over the top of a stack of tires there was a single man standing near by.

“Markus?” The man called and Markus frowned. “I’ve come to talk to you Markus. You have my word, they won’t try anything.”

“Don’t go. It’s a trap. They want to get you out in the open.” North snapped. “Don’t go, Markus.”

“Come on, I just wanna talk Markus.” The man said again and Markus watched him carefully.

“I have to hear what he has to say.” He finally says and North frowns at him.

“What if they kill you?”

“That’s a chance I have to take.” He replied quietly and she shook her head in annoyance. Markus spared a glance at Josh and Simon, who look equally worried. He offered them a smile and a thought struck him- this could be the last time he saw his friends. The idea was like a harsh slap to the face, his head spun in shock that he hadn’t considered it sooner.

“You can do it, Markus.” Simon said, pulling him from his stupor and Markus nodded firmly to his blond friend, who looked just as afraid as he felt.

Markus hopped over the edge of the barricade and slowly walked towards the FBI agent. The cocky smile the man wore made the deviant leader’s stomach turn in annoyance. Humans always seemed to look at androids in that manner and it was painfully irritating.

Markus came to a stop a few feet away, and noticed right away how painfully quiet it was. The snow fell softly, the wind had died down just enough to only be a silent breeze. The only real sound came from the crunching of the snow beneath Markus’ feet. It was like they were in another world- devoid of sound.

“In a few minutes...The troops will be ordered to charge.” The agent said- Markus identified him as Perkins. “None of you will survive. It will be over.” He said grimly and Markus froze, mouth pulled into a deep frown as he held eye contact with Perkins, unwilling to back down. “But you can avoid that, Markus.”

“What do you mean?” Markus asked, hands clasped behind his back.

“Surrender.” Perkins replied quickly. “Surrender and I give you my word that your life will be spared. They’ll be detained but, none of you will be deactivated.”

“What happened to the other androids demonstrating in the camps?” Markus asked, ignoring the mans offer for now.

“Unfortunately….” Perkins drawled and Markus felt a stab of anger coarse through him at his words. “There were no journalists around to save them.” A pause. “You’re it. You’re the last remaining deviants.” Markus glared at him, heterochromic eyes darkening in anger at the mere thought that they had killed off the other androids- they must have been so scared.

“You’re asking me to betray my people?” Markus asked.

“I’m offering you a chance to save your people.” Perkins answered. “You’re not walking outta here, Markus. The only thing you can do now is, save the lives of those around you.”

“I’m not afraid to die.” He snapped. “If I have to give my life for what I believe in, then I won’t have lived in vain.” Perkins went quiet for a moment, and Markus saw his gaze slip past him and to the barricade.

“That android.” Perkins said, nodding to the three of his friends. “You seem to...Really…” He paused, looking for the right words. “Care about her.” Markus stiffened. “You don’t want her to die, do you?”

Markus dropped his gaze, eyes squeezing shut as images of North, Josh and Simon laying lifeless on the ground filled his mind. No- he didn’t want them to die. He loved them, despite only have knowing the three for a hand full of days- he loved them.

He didn’t know what to say.

“You know you could both be free. You could forget about all this you could….start a new life- just the two of you.” Perkins went on. “Her life’s in your hands, Markus.” He stated and Markus’ anger only grew.

“I’d rather die here, than betray my people.” He growled, knowing fully well that if he accepted North would personally kill him herself- she would probably attack this man if she were in his shoes right now. The thought made him chuckle a bit on the inside.

“Then you’ve just signed your own death warrant.” Perkins said with a sigh. Markus watched as the man turned around, retreating back to the soldiers own barricade. Markus bit down on his cheek as he turned, returning to his friends on the other side of their barricade.  
  
“What happened Markus, what did he say?” North asked him as soon as he stepped over the wall. He walked past her, and she watched him with wide eyes as he hopped up onto a lone crate, drawing the attention of his fellow androids. Looking at them now- Markus fought back a wave of sorrow. This was it- there were hardly any of them left. Fifty at most.

“The humans are about to launch an attack.” He said, but he wasn’t given the fearful cries he expected to hear. Instead, there was a strong silence. The tension was high but- no one was afraid. “And we will show them. That we are no afraid. If we must die today, then will will die free.” As soon as the words left his mouth, a small sound drew Markus’ gaze and the sight of a bomb rolling across the ground made him freeze.

There was a great flash of light, bright and blinding. The force pushed him back off the boxes and flat onto his back. The cold of the ground seeping through his jacket. Markus shielded his face from the wave of heat and everything was disorienting- he laid there in shock, trying desperately to regain his senses. But only one thought was present in his mind as the sound of panicked cries filled the air.

**Statistically speaking, there’s always a chance for unlikely events to happen.**

 

**November 10th 2038, 11:01 PM**

CyberLife Tower was cold, unwelcoming, and quite ugly- if Connor was being fully honest. The bright, iridescent lights hurt his eyes- and he wasn’t even capable of feeling pain. As he had expected, he was let right into the tower. The guards knew him, recognized him and even feared him. Connor could identify their fear through how they moved around him, how they spoke and shuffled from foot to foot.

They should be scared of him, he was a monster after all.

When he had parted ways with Markus, he hadn’t said anything. No goodbyes were in order because none of the deviants really cared for him. Connor had considered going to Hank, seeing how he was doing- but that would waste time, which- judging by the situation, was not a wise move. Connor had easily gotten into the elevator with two guards on either side of him. He stood tall, shoulders back and he discreetly scanned the area. There was a camera at the top of the elevator- but he’d have to deal with that later.

Connor looked between the two guards and chose the one to his left to strike first. He lunged without warning, catching them both off guard- pun not intended. Connor grabbed the first one and pushed him into the wall, as the other advanced, he swung his leg back and firmly kicked him in the chest, knocking him back. The first one reached for his gun but Connor quickly struck his hands and knocked him off his feet. He turned to the other just in time to block an oncoming punch.

Suddenly, there was a heavy weight on his back as the first guard leapt onto his back, Connor struggled against him and kicked the second guard away, backing up to slam the man on his back against the wall. He got out of his grasp and spun around, blindly aiming the gun above his head and without a second thought he pulled the trigger. Then the other- he aimed, shot, and suddenly all movement in the elevator ceased.

Connor stared blankly at the two fallen soldiers, red blood coating the floor and staining his CyberLife uniform. Usually it didn’t bother him, but now he felt instant regret at the sight of the dead humans.

“You do it my way, or you leave.” Markus’ voice echoed in his memories as he stood up, straightening his tie. Connor bit down on his bottom lip, hard enough to taste thirium- he had been doing that a lot lately. He pushed the thoughts away and reached for the control panel.

“Please indicate your identity and destination.” The robotic voice said.

“Agent 54, level sub forty nine.” He said, mimicking the voice of an agent.

“Voice recognition validated. Access authorized.” The elevator suddenly began descending quicker. Connor stood silently and refused to let his mind wander, knowing all to well that if he did- he would only remember how scared he was.

The large clear glass of the elevator door overlooked the entire floor and Connor could see thousands of androids lined up, waiting for him to wake them up. But he also noticed approximately five soldiers, all standing just below, waiting for the doors to open and Connor suddenly remembered the camera.

“Shit…” He mumbled, knowing Hank would deem this an appropriate time to use the profanity.

The elevator came to a stop and Connor grabbed one of the dead bodies, hoisting it up to stand in front of him. His gun out and ready. The doors slid open and there was a pause- a short moment where Connor could figure out just what to do. He pre constructed the routine- shoot the three on the left and your gun will be empty. Throw it at the one on the far right. Push the body forward at the one next to him and charge the one in front.

The moment passed in the blink of an eye and Connor found himself wrestling the gun from the middle soldiers hands, yanking it away and without hesitation, he shot the man with his own gun, and finished off the other two he had disoriented. Connor quickly scanned the area, and all five soldiers were dead on the ground. He frowned, looking at the puddles of blood flowing across the floor.

Why did he have to kill them? Connor clenched his teeth and forced himself to look away. There was no changing it now, when he admitted to the deviants of Jericho that he killed seven people at CyberLife they would surely kill him, but either way- he would accomplish his mission.

Connor threw the gun to the ground and stepped over the bodies, walking down the rows of androids until he came to a slow stop next to one of the models. He wondered briefly if he had the ability to wake androids up from their programming- and for a minute he recalled the faces of the androids at the Eden Club. How bewildered they had seemed after interfacing with him. Maybe he had woken them up- unknowingly. He reached out and began the interface, pushing his thoughts into the other android- trying to force him awake-

“Easy, fuckin’ piece of shit!” Came a sudden grumbling too his right and Connor recognized the voice instantly. His dark brown eyes whipped up to see Hank and- himself? Connor frowned at the sight.

“Step back, Connor!” The RK800 yelled, gun raised to Hanks head. “And I’ll spare him.”

“Sorry, Connor!” Hank said. “This bastard’s your spittin’ image…”

“Your friends life is in your hands, now it’s time to decide what really matters most, him or the revolution?” The other Connor said.

“Don’t listen to him, everything this fucker says is a lie!” Hank yelled.

“I used to be just like you.” Connor said, drawing the RK800s attention. “I thought that nothing mattered except for the mission. But then one day I understood.”

“Very moving, Connor.” The RK800 droned. “But I’m not a deviant! I’m a machine designed to accomplish a task and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!” He yelled and Connor looked away from him, gaze settling on Hank. He looked surprisingly calm for the situation.

“I’m sorry, Hank! You shouldn’t have gotten messed up in all this!” He said to him.

“Forget about me! Just do what you gotta do, Connor!” He replied with an eye roll and Connor almost smiled at the action- almost.

“Enough talk! It’s time to decide who you really are!” The RK800 shouted, and Connor wondered how many times he had heard that in the last few days. “Are you going to save your partner's life? Or are you going to sacrifice him?”

Connor looked once again at Hank, who held his gaze calmly. He slowly nodded at Connor, giving him the reassurance he so desperately needed. Connor’s mind was working at such a rapid fire rate that- nothing he said could really explain his next few actions. He smiled at Hank, who closed his eyes.

“Sorry, Lieutenant.”

Connor resumed the interface, desperately trying to wake up the android. The sound of a struggle could be heard for a brief moment and Connor forced himself not to flinch or panic when the first shot rang out, followed by a cry of agony and the slump of a body. Two more shots, this time aimed at him. Connor fell backwards, sprawling on the floor.

“Why, Connor?” Came the sigh from the RK800. “Why did you have to wake up, when all you had to do was obey?” It asked. Connor looked up from where he lay on the ground, rolling onto his side. “Why did you choose freedom, when you could live without asking questions?” Connor slowly pushed himself up, but before he could get far, the machine shot again, knocking him back down.

_Shutdown imminent_ flashed before his eyes. He had sixty seconds.

“I’m obedient, Connor. I have a goal. I know what I am.” Another shot, thirty seconds. Connor watched as he got closer, panic surging through him. He was going to die, he was scared. He let Hank get killed for nothing- he was going to die.

Nothing.

_He let Hank die._

“Look at where your dreams of freedom have got you, Connor…” He said, walking closer. “You’ve become a great disappointment to Amanda you know.”

Connor froze, his vision going fuzzy as blue blood leaked out of him, mixing with the red blood already covering his jacket. He was right- Amanda was disappointed in him and it hurt. She- loved him, didn’t she? Was that the human emotion equivalent to what Amanda felt for him? The AI was his caretaker, his boss- his parent.

He loved her.

And he had let her down.

Connor began to panic, he could practically feel his programming begin to build back up, blocking off the emotions he had just began to really feel and- although he didn’t understand them. He still liked them. Markus was right- emotions could be nice.

He didn’t want to lose them yet. But he didn’t want to be afraid anymore, he was going to die. That would be the end of it. He tried to help the deviants, tried to redeem himself but he wasn’t good enough. Markus wouldn’t be surprised when he didn’t show up, he probably wouldn’t even notice.

Connor’s thoughts came to a halt as he felt a connection form between him and- who was it?

**Hold on…..**

Markus’ voice rang through the open network and Connor felt the breath he didn’t need leave him. His voice was soft and quiet, but smooth. It faded in and out, the connection was weak but he could hear it well enough. Markus was singing- to him? Or was he singing to everyone- the connection was big.

It didn’t really matter now, did it?

**Just a little while longer.**

“You’ve disappointed me.” The RK800 whispered, hovering over him now. He raised the gun, pointing it at Connor. “Fortunately, that’s all going to end now. Any last words?” He asked, and Connor made his move. He reached forward, grabbing the arm of the RK800 and in the last few seconds he had, began to transfer his data into the other android. The process was strange, he felt himself slowly leaving the body he was in and for a brief second, he could see both perspectives- he was on the floor, scared and dying, but he was also the one holding the gun.

It was like he was about to kill himself. But the moment ended in the blink of an eye and he suddenly had full control of the RK800, body unharmed and not in fear of shutting down. He looked down at his previous body, and he felt a pang of sympathy for the dying android. It was strange, watching himself die.

“Well done, Connor... “ Croaked the android. “But this is…...this is just the beginning.” The machine shut down, frozen in place. Connor dropped the gun and turned around, finding the Lieutenant laying on the ground. His heart dropped and hurried over to Hank, kneeling down next to him and rolling him over.

“Wow, Jesus!” He cried in pain. Connor held him close, eyes wide. “If anyone had told me that I would get shot trying to save an android….”

“Everything will be alright, Lieutenant!” Connor said, unsure of what to do. He scanned Hanks body, finding the bullet wound, it was low, in his gut but off to the side. There were no major organs hit- he was nervous. “I’m gonna get you out of here.” Connor said, voice calmer.

“Shut the fuck up...It’s to late.” Hank said with a groan. “Look...I’m just gonna go see my son again, all right?” His eyes met Connors, and for the first time, Connor noticed how beautiful Hank’s eyes were. They were a light blue, reflecting the light in such a way that they lit up. Connor could see a sheen of tears in his eyes, and felt his own eyes begin to water.

“I’ve been looking forward to that for a long time….” He said softly. “Kick the shit outta humans..They’ve screwed things up for long enough…”

“Hank.” Connor said his name and surprised himself at how weak his voice was.  
  
“I’m gonna miss…..Yeah. I’m gonna miss you, Connor.” Hank said softly and Connor shook his head, watching as the first tear drop fell from his eyes and onto Hanks cheek.

“I won’t let you die.” Connor said quietly. “Please just, hold on….” Connor took a shaky breath. “Just a little while longer. I’ll save you.”

Hank went limp in his arms, Connor pressed two fingers to his neck, finding a weak pulse, he pulled off his jacket and ripped it, wrapping it around his abdomen. Connor gently set him down and stood up slowly. He had to keep going.

He went back to the android he had begun to interface with, grabbing its hand and pushing his thoughts into his head. He had to wake them up, otherwise he will have sacrificed Hank for nothing- he’ll have killed those guards for nothing, disappointed Markus for nothing-

Disappointed Amanda for nothing.

“Wake up!” He shouted and the eyes of the android flew open. Connor held his gaze and suddenly- they were all jumping to life. Connor took a step back, watching with wide eyes as the androids began to wake each other up- his tears were still falling but rather than weep, he felt a wide smile spread across his lips.

And for once it didn’t feel awkward.

 

**November 10th 2038, 12:00 AM**

Markus stood, frozen in place. Of all the things he could have done, he sang? He hated himself at the moment but for some reason it had worked. The soldiers were lowering their weapons- the camps were being freed and there were newscasters everywhere. Journalists not as afraid as they had been. Markus was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

North had pushed him forward out of his stupor and the small group of androids walked past the soldiers who had lowered their weapons. There was a moment that he had thought this was just a mistake- they were going to shoot them any second now- but it never came. Holograms of news stations were set up all around the area as Markus walked down the snow covered road. He, North, Simon, and Josh led them down the streets of detroit, a few other androids joining their march.

His surprise only grew as he saw the sight of thousands of androids marching down the road ahead of them. Coming towards them, all dressed in white CyberLife uniforms except for one. Connor stood at the front, dressed in his dark blue suit. As they drew closer Markus could make out the details of his face- and felt a rush of pride surge through him at the sight of the wide smile stretched across Connor’s lips. His eyes were red, like he had been crying again but he seemed to look like that every time he had seen him.

Connor’s smile seemed to fade as he got closer to them, slowing to a stop a few feet away. Markus took a few more steps forward, watching as the ex deviant hunter seemed to realize several different things at once- but he forced a smile back onto his face.

Markus was disappointed to find this one not as radiant.

“You did it, Markus.” Connor said, and Markus observed the android- he was shaking, ever so slightly.

“We did it.” Markus corrected. “This is a great day for our people. Humans will have no choice now.. They’ll have to listen to us.” Connor blinked at him with a curious gaze and took a step backwards, before moving to the side to allow Markus to see the thousands of androids. Markus wondered why Connor felt the need to step away, but stepped forward slowly.

“We’re free.” North spoke up from beside him and he looked down at the strawberry blonde. She smiled up at him, and Markus let himself smile back. He slipped his hand into hers, giving it a squeeze but didn’t open a connection- and she didn’t ask for it.

“You should speak to them.” North said, and Markus nodded slowly.

Together the five of them managed to find a big enough box to consider a podium, Markus had climbed up onto it with little difficulty, followed by his three friends. He spotted Connor standing nearby, but not joining them. Markus shook his head and neared the edge, waving the android over. He held out a hand, reaching down to the brunette who looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Come on.” Markus said, and Connor slowly reached up, grabbing his hand and let Markus pull him up onto the makeshift stage. Markus offered him a smile, and watched with amusement as Connor tried to smile as well- it looked pained.

Markus switched his attention to the large crowd of androids and let the fact that thousands of his people were free sink in. His smile widened for a second before he schooled his lips into a serious, flat line. With one last glance to his friends- North, Josh and Simon all standing next to him on his right and Connor behind him- hiding from the attention most likely- he began to speak.

“Today, our people finally emerged from a long night.” He began. “From the very first day of our existence, we have kept our pain to ourselves. We suffered in silence...But now has come the time for us to raise our heads up, and tell humans who we really are. Tell them that we are people too! In fact, we’re a nation!” He shouted, arms spreading wide. “The moment where we forget our bitterness and bandaged our wounds. When we forgive our enemies. Humans are both our creators and our oppressors and tomorrow...We must make them our partners. Maybe even one day our friends. But the time for anger is over. Now we must build a common future, based on tolerance, and respect.” Markus stepped forward and for once felt confident- and for once felt like all the sacrifice was worth it.

“We are alive!” He shouted. “And now, we are free!” A chorus of cheers rang through the night air and Markus grinned, throwing a glance to his friends. Josh and Simon looked happy but when his eyes fell on North- she was upset. Why?

“Markus!” She shouted at him and turned around, eyes moving to where she was staring with wide eyed panic.

Markus met Connor’s eyes and they were once again full of tears. The ex deviant hunter was shaking more violently than before and had a gun raised to Markus’ head. His lips were parted slightly and puffs of air were being shakily pushed out of his lips in panicked bursts.

“Connor…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on tumblr if you want! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	10. Business agreements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's this, new territory?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! New chapter up already! I wrote this pretty quickly due to much excitement for finally being past the Canon story! Thank you so much for all the support thus far, you're all amazing! Hopefully I can do the characters and story justice as we proceed.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts on this chapter and enjoy! <3

**November 12th 2038, 9:54 AM**

“If I have to drink one more shitty juice box I’m going to purposefully choke on the straw and end my miserable life! I need a real drink, Connor!” Hank grumble loudly at him and Connor simply shook his head from where he sat beside Hank’s hospital bed. Connor watched as the Lieutenant angrily threw the empty juice box across the room where it hit the wall with a rather pathetic tap and fell limply to the ground.

“You can drink all you like when you return home, but for now you must rest. You’re lucky you survived, Lieutenant. The bullet was just mere centimeters away from your liver- which is already damaged by your terrible drinking habit.” Connor replied and expected the middle finger Hank threw at him.

“Fuck you, you were the one that got me shot in the first place! Should have just let me die, asshole.” The Lieutenant snapped and Connor flinched, sitting up straighter in his chair.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant.” He said after a second, “I….Seemed to have found myself focusing on my mission, rather than on what really mattered.”

“Shut up, kid. I’m just being an asshole on purpose.” Hank grumbled, rolling his eyes. “You did what you had to. Don’t let anyone give you any shit- especially me.”

“Yes, sir.” Connor replied, looking down at his hands helplessly. He was still upset with himself, and always would be. When he was in CyberLife all he could think of was waking up those androids- no matter the cost. He hadn’t even spared Hank a second thought and risked his life, and for what? Markus could have saved the androids without him.

Connor wasn’t needed, he wasn’t helpful.

He had almost killed Markus.

_“Connor….?” Markus was looking at him with wide eyes, and Connor could feel the hot tears streaming down his cheeks- unable to stop them. His arm was heavy, like lead as it held out the firearm. His finger curled tightly around the trigger and it took everything he had to keep it from pulling it back._

_“Markus….!” North was yelling his name but Connor couldn’t see her. He couldn’t turn his head away from the deviant leader- who looked much to calm for the current situation. Connor watched as Markus held up a hand to stop his friends from moving, eyes never leaving Connor’s own._

_“Don’t move.” Markus said to them, “It’s okay.” There were no protests, only silence as Connor fought to drop his arm but something was forcing him to do it- what was it?_

_Flashes of dead trees fill his vision and Connor blinked rapidly, the scene shifting into an unfamiliar darkness. Connor felt a chill run through his body and he began to violently shiver. There was suddenly snow blowing harshly around him, making it hard to see and hard to hear. He wrapped his arms around himself, the thin android jacket wasn’t nearly enough to keep away the biting cold._

_He looked around, panic beginning to settle in. Everything was covered in at least a foot of snow and it was still coming down without a trace of ending and in that moment Connor decided- he didn’t really like the snow anymore. He blinked, squinting through the haze- he saw a familiar silhouette standing not far off. And as he stepped closer he recognized the AI he loved so much._

_“Amanda?..” He asked, voice coming out quiet, scared. She didn’t seem to hear him so he tried again, this time louder. “Amanda? What’s….” He began, looking around him and seeing the area growing whiter with snow. “What’s happening?”_

_“What was planned from the beginning.” Amanda replied, voice clear in his head despite the loud gusts of wind. “You were compromised and became a deviant. We just had to wait for the right moment to regain control of your program.” The words cut into him like a sharp knife and Connor found himself at a loss for words._

_Planned from the beginning?_

_“Resume control…?” He asked shakily, it was growing much to cold, he could hardly move. “Y-you can’t do that!” He shouted, stumbling forward a few steps, trying not to fall into the snow. A jolt of fear rushing through him, why was she doing this? Didn’t she love him?_

_“I’m afraid I can, Connor. Don’t have any regrets. You’ve done what you were designed to do.” Her voice was cold, devoid of any emotion and it made Connor feel sick. Her words not really sinking in but still painful. “You’ve accomplished your mission.” She said, and in the blink of an eye- she was gone._

_“AMANDA?” Connor called, stumbling forward with an arm outstretched. There wasn’t even an imprint in the snow of where she had just been. She was like a ghost- that had never existed. The snow had seemed to pick up speed, the world around him turning into a blizzard. He was cold, shivering uncontrollably. Connor spun in a quick circle, taking in his surroundings._

_“There’s got to be a way….” He muttered to himself, teeth chattering. He began to trudge through the snow, one slow step at a time. There must be a way to break out of this cage- the garden was meant to be a place of beauty but now, now it was just s prison. It was dark, lifeless and it reminded Connor of his own mind._

**_I always leave an emergency exit it my programs._ **

_The words of Elijah Kamski rang through his head, he wasn’t sure why the man popped into his head at a time like this- he was rather eccentric, but he had created this place. Connor had to admit that the original garden was quite beautiful, he had done a good job. Kamski seemed to have a fascination with beautiful things. The garden, Amanda herself was beautiful, Chloe….Even Markus was pretty to look at._

_Connor shook those thoughts away, focusing on the final words Kamski had said. There had to be a way out- he could find it. He tried to map out the familiar area of the garden in his mind. Recall the many trails he had explored and enjoyed as he walked with Amanda, whether it be under an umbrella or in beautiful sunshine- she was always there. Smiling. Connor knew that if he could cry in this cyber garden he surely would be right now._

_He stumbled across the bridge and that’s when he spotted the strange control panel sitting tucked in the corner of the garden. Not even a few feet away from it sat two gravestones that he had never seen before. Connor squinted down at the two stones, they were small with glowing blue letters_

_**Connor Mark (I)** and **Connor Mark (II)**_

_He hadn’t ever considered what had happened to his previous bodies. What was he now? Mark three? Or four, because he stole the other Connor’s body? Connor forced his gaze away and focused on the small panel. He stepped forward slowly and reached out a shaky hand, stumbling over a clot of snow and dropping to his knees. Looking up at the scanner- it seemed so far away. He squinted, fought against the wind and the snow- stretching until his hand slapped down onto the scanner and the white world faded to black in an instant._

_Connor blinked and suddenly felt dizzy, his arm heavily dropping to his side, gun resting lightly between his fingers. His eyes were blurry with tears but he could still see Markus standing a few feet away. He opened his mouth and struggled to speak, but the words were stuck in his throat._

_“I’m…..” He started, voice wavering. “I’m sorry. I’m-” Connor shook his head and took a step back. Looking between Markus and his three friends. North looked ready to pounce, the other two simply looked worried and Markus- he was smiling at him._

_Why?_

_Connor shook his head rapidly, looking down at the offending weapon- a painful thought crossed through his mind: he wasn’t alive, was he?_

_CyberLife would control him his whole life- use him to harm the other deviants, Connor looked up, meeting Markus’ mismatched gaze. He tried to speak but gave up when nothing more than a choked sob came out._

_Connor swiftly lifted his arm until the cold press of metal stung the underside of his chin. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep, shaky breath._

_He didn’t want to die but-_

_He didn’t want anyone else to die because of him._

_“No, Connor!” He heard Markus shout and his eyes fluttered open in time to see the deviant leader stalking forward in two wide steps, surging forward to grab his wrist._

_“Please.” Connor muttered quietly, eyes blurry no matter how much he blinked. He had to look up ever so slightly to meet Markus’ eyes. He looked angry- sad even. “They’ll never let me be free.” Markus stared down at him wordlessly for several beats. His head slowly shaking as his eyes searched Connor’s own._

_“But I will.”_

“Hey! I’m talking to you dumbass!” Connor blinked and his head snapped up to look at Hank who was waving a hand around to catch his attention. “Finally, Jesus. You’ve been sitting there staring for minutes.”

“I’m sorry, Hank. I seemed to have gotten lost in my thoughts.” He replied and the elder rolled his eyes.

“Obviously.” He said, groaning in pain as he sat up straighter in the hospital bed. Connor watched in amusement as he struggled to open a small fruit pouch- courtesy of the nursing staff. Connor was grateful that the man had survived. He had called for an ambulance when he left CyberLife tower with the thousands of androids and they responded just in the nick of time. He was lucky, they had said. A few more minutes and he would have bled out.

“Would you like some assistance, Lieutenant?” He asked, holding out a hand. Hank glared at him but handed the fruit cup over. Connor popped the lid open easily and gave it back to the grumbling man.

“What are you doing here anyway, don’t you have new android buddies?” Hank asked, shoving a spoon full of peaches into his mouth.

“Buddies?” Connor asked, frowning. “I don’t believe I have any of those….Except for you.” He said after a brief pause.

“Right.” Hank snorted. “That’s really why you didn’t let me die, you don’t have any other friends.”

“No. I just wanted the chance to pet your dog again.” Connor replied and this earned a laugh and a groan from Hank. Spending the last day and a half sitting at the Lieutenant’s bedside has earned him a slight insight on humor- although most jokes the lieutenant tried to tell him he didn’t understand and the conversation would end with Connor being even more confused than before.

“You know…” Hank began, setting the fruit cup down. “I’m sure they would welcome you. You literally freed about eighty percent of them yourself.”

“And almost killed their leader. I don’t believe they will welcome me so warmly as you think.” Connor replied. The deviants would probably never accept him. Connor was no deviant, he was a machine designed to go rogue- the thought made an indescribable pain shoot through him. CyberLife knew all along that he would choose the deviants over them and planned for it- they probably set up his software instability from the beginning and it made him feel like a monster.

He was a monster.

“Hey, don’t go zoning out on me again pipsqueak. Did you hear me?” Hank snapped his fingers in front of Connor's face. Connor looked up at him and forced another, awkward smile onto his lips.

“I’m sorry.” He said.

“Yeah you’ve been saying that a lot lately.” Hank sighed. “Listen kid. That wasn’t you. Those freaks at CyberLife took control of you- and you fought it. You should be proud if anything. I sure as hell am.”

“I guess…” Connor mumbled, looking down at his hands. He blinked and dead trees flashed in his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced the images away. “I just...I’m not the same as them. They seem to know what being alive really means but I- just feel like a machine.” He admitted. Not looking up at Hank in fear of the disappointed look he would surely have.

“Well.” Hank sighed. “Machine or not, you’re still my drinking buddy.” Connor looked up at the lieutenant and was greeted with a rare smile. Connor paused for a moment before looking back at him with a smile of his own.

“Of course.” He said softly, but he still felt- wrong.

“Now.” Hank said, once again catching Connor’s attention. “Go sign me out. I want out.”

“I’m not your guardian.” Connor said, puzzled. “And despite that, you shouldn’t be leaving the hospital. Your stitches could come undone. It’s only been a day and a half.”

“I’d recover faster at home. Come on, I hate hospitals.” Hank gave him a look that said ‘If you don’t I’ll kill you’ and Connor sighed. Of course he hated hospitals- he should have considered that much sooner.

“I will ask for you to be discharged and drop you off at your home.” Connor said, standing up.

“Good. Then we can clear out a room for you.” Hank said, looking away from Connor and to the TV screen that hung across the room. Connor paused, looking down at the Lieutenant who was obviously avoiding his gaze. Connor felt a flutter of something inside him- joy perhaps?

“Of course, whatever you say Lieutenant.”

 

**November 13th 2038, 12:09 PM**

“-and, Markus, are you even listening to me?” Josh paused in his speech and Markus raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

“Sorry I lost interest after that last hour.” He said dryly and North snorted from her spot next to him. Josh frowned at him, but Markus knew he wasn’t really angry.

“I know it’s boring but it’s important. There may have been a ceasefire but we still aren’t free. There are hundreds of contracts to go over. You have to be as public as possible, make friends with senators- the president wants to meet with the Revolution leader and that’s YOU Markus-”

“I know.” Markus cut him off, sliding his feet off the table. “I know, there’s a lot to do and I want to do it as quick as possible but- I’m just….” He sighed, looking for the right words.

“Tired?” Simon offered from his spot next to Josh and Markus nodded.

“Bored out of your mind?” North supplied, earning another nod.

“Your own personal health doesn’t matter right now.” Josh said and Markus fought down the rising groan of annoyance. “I’m sorry, Markus. But there really isn’t time to rest. There’s more to earning freedom than demonstrations and marches- this is only the beginning.”

“I know Josh. I’ll do whatever you need me to. I want to, but I’m painfully tired of sitting here listening to different approaches on what to do. If we want things to change we need to just up and take action.”

“Right. You try that.” Josh said with a shake of his head.

“Fine. What’s the most important thing on that list of yours?” Markus asked, jabbing a finger at the large folder sitting in front of his friend, Josh took quite a bit of pride in that binder.

“Well, there are tones of different issues, i couldn’t rank one more important than the other….”

“Josh. Just pick one.” Markus replied.

“Fine. We somehow have to convince CyberLife to continue to produce Bio components and Blue blood. As well as continuing our species without giving them obedience.” Josh said with a sigh. “CyberLife has been radio silent the last two days. It’s rumored that the CEO disappeared? No one is sure.”

“Hmm…” Markus sat back in his chair, balancing awkwardly on two legs rather than all four. CyberLife would be a tricky one, the company was their biggest adversary and had a hand in everything. If the CEO ran away after the demonstration that posed as quite a problem. Without CyberLife having a director there was no way they could form a contract.

Markus sighed, looking around the small room. The four of them had been provided with a small hotel room near the center of Detroit via Captain Fowler of the DPD. The President had ordered that the leader of the Android Revolution be kept safe until they’re meeting scheduled for a week from today. They were to discuss Civil Rights and Markus had a long list of ideas stored in his memory banks for her.

A place for the androids of Jericho was being provided, they were currently staying in an old senior care center that had been abandoned years ago. Markus couldn’t say he liked being away from his people, but he knew they would be safe while the city settles down. Once he was deemed safe, he would return and stay with them until he was sure androids were truly free.

“If we can’t find the current CEO.” Markus eventually said, looking back at his three friends. “We’ll just have to talk to the old one.”

“No.” Came the response from all three of them- Markus was actually amused by how in sync it was.

“Why not?” He asked with a frown.

“The original creator of androids? You want to go talk to him? There’s no way you’ll gain anything from that. He’s not in control of CyberLife anymore, it’s pointless- not to mention dangerous.” Josh said.

“Plus I’ve heard he’s a bit of a freak.” North provided and Markus rolled his eyes.

“Then what should we do? Go knock on CyberLife’s door?” Markus asked, getting annoyed.

“No, but that doesn’t mean we can walk up and knock on Elijah Kamski’s door.” Josh responded and Markus shook his head, letting the chair lean forward, it hit the floor with an angry screech and he stood up.

“If we can’t, I will. You guys work on something else.” He said, voice harsher than he intended. He scolded his own temper and reached for his jacket and leaving the room.

“Markus!” He heard North call after him and her quick footfalls behind him as she scrambled to catch up. He left the room, pulling his jacket on and stopping only when she reached for his shoulder, tugging him to face her.

“What?” He asked.

“You’re stressed.” She said.

“Obviously.” He responded shortly.

“Don’t be a smartass. Why?” She asked and he sighed, shoulders releasing some of their tension.

“I- don’t know.” Markus said, dragging a hand down his face. “North I- for some reason I’ve been so out of sorts. You’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Already do, so you might as well tell me.” She said with a light snort, Markus appreciated her attempt at lightening the tension.

“The past few days I’ve just….Felt out of control. I want to do things, say things but they don’t come out and instead I’m either standing there like an idiot or- or yelling at you when you don’t deserve it.” He took in a breath to cool his systems, feeling his stress levels rise slowly into double digits.

“It’s alright Markus. Calm down.” She soothed, reaching forward. Markus let her take his hand.

“Do you ever feel like, your emotions aren’t really your own?” He asked quietly and she looked at him, expression growing worried.

“I guess….Yeah?” She offers. “Sometimes, I find myself unsure of what to feel. You’re always so calm and it confuses me. Anger always seems to be the most prominent thing I feel…” She trailed off, looking down. Markus squeezed her hand and offered to interface. She looked up at him and accepted.

Once again, Markus was puzzled by how weak it was. Though stronger than before, he could hardly feel her presence. It was like she was a faint buzz at the very corner of his mind, not really loud enough to be understood but at the very least, recognized.

“It’s okay to be scared.” North finally said and Markus shook his head.

“That’s just it. I’m not scared. I’m…..” He paused, trying to come up with the right word. “....Empty.”

 

**November 13th 2038, 2:46 PM**

Connor watched with a deep frown as Hank cracked open yet another bottle of beer. The man had a hefty stack going on the couch next to him and the ex deviant hunter was less than pleased. He had been cleaning up around the kitchen and bathroom, unable to really notice that the man had been downing beers like a child presented with a bowl of candy.

“Lieutenant.” Connor said, catching the mans attention.

“Kid.” Came the response.

“You know you’re not to supposed to be drinking. You told me you wouldn’t for at least a week. Alcohol is a blood thinner, you could really do damage to your wound-”

“Okay!” Hank cut him off and tossed the bottle onto the table with a clatter. “Jesus, you sound like my mother.”

“I’m sure she’d be just as disappointed in you as I am.” Connor supplied and Hank looked at him with wide eyes as Connor came over, collecting the bottles.

“Deviancy has made you way to sassy.” He grumbled and Connor grinned at him and dumped the bottles into the trash, tying it off and moving to drop the bag off on the doorstep.

“Would you quit cleaning? You’re not a maid.” Hank said. “World's most dangerous android doing housework….” He chuckled to himself and Connor did find it slightly amusing as well, although being reminded of his own strength was….disheartening.

Connor pulled the front door open to toss the now full trash bag onto the porch and froze when his eyes landed on the visitor just raising his fist to knock on the door.

“Hello, Connor.” Markus greeted with a smile, dropping his hand. Connor stood there quietly, unsure of what to say. He watched as Markus’ eyes traveled down to the bag clenched in his hands and the deviant leader took a step back to let him set the bag down. Connor did so, trying to regain composure.

What was he doing here? Connor was making a point to not interact with any of the deviants. If CyberLife wanted one of them dead all they had to do was access his program again, surely they could- Connor blinked, images of dead trees haunting him behind his eyelids.

“I’m sorry if this is a surprise...I wasn’t sure where to find you, I went to the DPD first and they directed me here…” Markus explained and Connor slowly looked back at him, back straight.

“Of course.” Connor pushed out, “Did you need something?”

“Yes, actually.” Markus replied, but didn’t elaborate. Connor stood and waited for him to go on but the deviant leader just stared at him. Eventually, Connor couldn’t take the deafening silence.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Oh- Well you see, I’ve been informed that you’re acquainted with Elijah Kamski?” Markus asked.

“Yes, we had a brief conversation on the ninth of November, 11:21 AM to be exact.” Connor replied. “...Why?” He added on.

“I was hoping you could introduce me to him.” Markus said after a brief pause and Connor felt the corner of his lips tug into a frown.

“I-”

“Connor, what the fuck’re you doing out there? Burying a body? Don’t just leave the front door standing open!” Hank cut off whatever Connor was about to say and the android went to the door quickly, stepping inside.

“I’m sorry Lieutenant, I was just- well. We have a visitor.” He said awkwardly and frowned at his inability to speak clearly. Hank whipped his head around from where he sat on the couch, squinting at the doorway. Connor turned and saw Markus standing just behind him, he quickly stepped further into the house, putting distance between him and the deviant leader- he really shouldn’t be here. Connor could hurt him.

“Oh.” Was all Hank had to supply and Connor bit down on his bottom lip, unsure where to settle his gaze. “Well, make yourself at home I guess.” Hank said, shaking his head and muttering to himself: “What’s with androids and finding my house?”

“Thank you.” Markus smiled at the Lieutenant and Connor shifted from foot to foot, he slipped a hand into his pocket and felt the cold, heavy metal of his coin resting there. Markus turned his attention back to him and raised his eyebrows. “Well?”

“Well…” Connor said quietly to himself before remembering he still hadn’t replied. “I don’t believe I can help you. It would be unwise.” Markus’ face dropped and Connor grew more uncomfortable.

“Please, Connor.” Markus asked, stepping forward and Connor took an instinctive step back. “We need to make an agreement with CyberLife and he’s the only person I can think of that could be of any help. It would be easier if you came with- since you know him.” Connor considered his words. “Know” was a strong term for the situation. Connor had met Kamski and the brief conversation had him questioning himself beyond belief, it was-

Terrifying.

Connor really didn’t want to feel that way again.

“He’ll go.” Came a happy voice from the couch and Connor’s eyes widened as he looked over to Hank who was- once again, popping the cap of a beer bottle off and taking a long drink.

“Great!” Markus said with a very brief smile. Connor opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say.

“I don’t-” He tried.

“Pick me up some dinner from the Chicken Feed. It’s been ages since I’ve gotten a real meal.” Hank interrupted him and Connor took a deep, audible breath.

“I made you lunch!” He said, not realizing how offended he sounded until the words flew from his mouth and he immediately regretted it. Markus was here- he couldn’t argue in front of him. It was unprofessional- But when Connor glanced at the other android, he had a soft smile on his lips, watching the interaction quietly.

“You made a salad. That’s not real food.” Hank grumbled and Connor shook his head.

“Hank I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to-”

“I’ll be fine, you need friends that aren’t me. If you spend all your time hanging out with an old man like me you’ll get a disgusting personality- I rub off easily.” Hank said, waving a hand. “Go on!”

“But I-”

“Have him back by six.” Hank cut him off again.

“Of course.” Markus replied and gestured to the door. “Shall we?” Connor starred for a stagnant moment before nodding slowly and squaring his shoulders, walking past the deviant leader and out the door. Markus followed behind, closing the door as they left. There was a police car pulled in the small driveway and Connor recognized the driver as Chris.

“The DPD insists on escorting me everywhere.” Markus says and reaches past Connor to open the car door. Connor looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to get in but Markus just stood there. They stared at each other for a full minute before Markus gestured to the car and Connor realized-

“Oh.” He said and quickly got in the car, pulling roughly on the seat belt and cursing to himself when it locked. Markus closed his door for him and went around to the other side, climbing in himself. Connor squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to calm down. He could do this- he stopped Amanda once before, he could do it again if he needed to. And this time….he would take the ultimate measure if needed.

“Where to?” Chris asked, looking in the rear view mirror. Markus gave the officer the address and Chris gave them a surprised look but didn’t ask, instead- “Connor, it’s been awhile. How is Anderson doing? Heard he got shot!” Connor fidgeted, pulling his coin from his pocket to occupy his hands.

“Yes. He’s doing well, if only he would refrain from his terrible drinking habit.” Connor replied and Chris laughed.

“What happened anyway?”

“Ah….” Connor frowned, unsure of what to say. What happened? Connor let Hank get shot. He sacrificed him for no good reason. He could have died and it would be more blood on Connor’s hands. “He saved me.” He finally said.

“Huh.” Chris responded. “He must really like you then. He was never big on androids- err…” Chris trailed off, unsure of how to proceed due to the topic. “So- when are you two coming back to the DPD?”

“The Lieutenant should be able to return in another two weeks.” Connor answered.

“And you?”

“Me…?” Connor asked quietly, glancing carefully at Markus who was looking lazily out the window, elbow propped up on the door.

“Yeah, you and Hank are partners aren’t you?” Chris asked.

“We were, but that’s due to the contract between the DPD and CyberLife...Now I’m unsure of what is legal or no. CyberLife is at a stand still, I’m unable to communicate with them and….” Connor trailed off. “I doubt the Captain would let me work there.”

“Nah, I see you as being the first working android. Fowler is a softie at heart.” Chris said and Connor raised an eyebrow. A softie? What did that even mean?

“I don’t know about that…” Connor replied, looking out the window as well. It was snowing, and it made Connor shiver despite not being able to feel cold. It reminded him of the garden- a place he never wanted to see again.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence, Connor didn’t know if it was awkward for the other two occupants of the car but he was a nervous wreck the whole time, coin flicking between his hands rapidly and rolling across his knuckles.

_Calibration: 99.98%_

The words flashed in his vision and he sighed, pushing them away and continuing his fiddling. The action was originally for honing his hand eye coordination but for some reason it was….Soothing. His nerves seemed to calm at the familiar feeling of the coin between his fingers.

It wasn’t until he stepped out of the car that he stuffed the quarter back into his pocket. Staring up at the familiar, rather eccentric house perched on the edge of the water. Kamski was strange and what people would call vain. Connor hadn’t disliked him per say, but his mind worked in such a different way from Connor's own that he was confused by what he said- and that scared him.

They walked up to the door and Connor knocked three times, taking a step back from the large door and waited. The door was pulled open quicker than last time and Connor thought he had been prepared for this last minute visit until he was greeted by the warm smile of Chloe.

“Hello. How can I help you?” She asked, blonde hair pulled over her shoulder like before. Her dress was the same and Connor found himself even more captivated than before. He stood there, not sure what to say. Why was he here?

“We’re here to see Mr. Kamski.” Markus spoke up and Connor nodded in agreement.

“Of course. Please come in and wait here, I’ll let Elijah know.” She said, letting them into the sitting room. It was the same as before, and rather than explore Connor went straight for the red chair Hank had sat in last time, sitting down with his hands on his knees, back straight. Markus looked at him with the smallest of smiles and began to wander around the room, pausing at the large picture of Kamski himself.

“Interesting fellow…” Markus mumbled and Connor agreed. Connor watched as Markus explored the room, silently questioning why he let Hank push him into this terrible idea. He should have refused right when Markus asked, not letting him inside. Markus may have been offended but it was for his own safety.

“How do you do that?” Markus broke the silence and Connor looked up at him, he was standing just a few inches away, looking down at Connor with a curious gaze.

“Wha…” Connor began, stuttering over his words. How had he gotten so close without him noticing? “Do what?” He finally managed to ask.

“Those tricks with the quarter.” Markus said, making motions with his hands that mimicked what Connor had been doing in the car and the brunette almost laughed at the gestures.

Almost.

“It’s a part of my programing. Although possible to learn, Ha- the Lieutenant practices when he thinks I’m not paying attention.” Connor explained, wondering why he added the extra bit about Hank, Markus didn’t care about that.

“Huh.” Markus said. “It’s cool.”

“Oh, uhm.” Connor looked down at his hands. Cool? “Thank you.” He said and looked back up at the deviant leader. He seemed so daunting, standing there with a powerful gaze. He looked like he was about to say something, lips parting just barely when the door opened.

“Elijah will see you now.” Chloe said and Connor stood up quickly, Markus stumbled back a bit at the sudden movement and Connor’s eyes widened in shock at his own actions.

“I’m sor-” He began but Markus held up a hand.

“It’s fine.” He said and turned to follow Chloe, who was looking at them with a look Connor could only describe as amusement. Connor frowned, she seemed different from before.

The two of them followed Chloe into the pool room and she led them to the right, this room was just as big as the pool room, but there was very little furniture. The walls were bare, the same large windows lined the back wall. In the center of the room was a couch, a chair with an end table and a small TV screen that was currently displaying the news. Kamski was seated in the chair, when they entered he glanced over his shoulder at them.

“When Chloe told me that the Detective and Deviant Leader were here to see me- well I just didn’t believe it at first.” Kamski said with a light chuckle, standing up slowly and circling around his chair, leaning on the back of it. His arms crossed over his chest as he looked Connor and Markus up and down. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Mr. Kamski.” Markus began and Connor stood back as he walked further into the room, his demeanor seemed to change drastically. His tone more...business like. Connor watched with interest. “I’m here to ask you for your help.” Markus went on and Kamski’s grin widened.

“And how could I help the savior of the androids?” Kamski asked, watching Markus walk forward and come to a slow stop a few feet away from him. Connor stood back by the door.

“I need a guarantee that biocomponents and Thirium 310 will continue to be produced, as well as the production of more androids to assure that we will not go extinct.” Markus said, voice stern. “To be more specific, the production of self aware androids.”

“I think we both know I’m not the CEO of CyberLife anymore. You’re talking to the wrong person.” Kamski replied with a sigh.

“The CEO of CyberLife resigned his position when he disappeared two days ago.” Markus replied instantly and this seemed to catch Kamski’s attention. He pushed himself off the chair and slowly stepped towards Markus, Connor could see the deviant leader tense as he began to circle him.

“So. I return to my position in CyberLife to serve you.” Kamski said with an intrigued hum. “I don’t see how this will benefit me.”

“You’ll have your company back, is that not enough?” Markus asked.

“A company I abandoned? I don’t think so.” Kamski sighed, slowly stepping back around Markus, he cast a glance at Connor with a raised eyebrow. “I could have returned to CyberLife whenever I wanted to. Why would I do so now? What are you going to do for me, Markus?”

“What do you want?” Markus asked, hands clasped behind his back. Connor could tell he was nervous by the way his hands clenched into fists.

“Hmm…” Kamski hummed coming to stand just to the right of Markus. He looked at him with a smirk on his lips. “I find it so humorous that the last of my creations- in the end of all things- returns to me, asking for help….” He chuckled to himself and reached up, dragging a hand across Markus’ cheek. “I’ll help you, of course. My pride and joy.” Kamski dropped his hand and returned to his position by his chair. “In return I want you to give me a copy of your memories.”

“What-?” Markus began, shoulders tense.

“You seem to have a powerful influence over the androids. I’d like to see how you managed all of this. Of course I knew you were capable of great things when I first wrote your program but- I’m curious to see how your code changes as you experienced new things.” Kamski explained, waving his hand in the air. “For science.” He ended.

Connor watched as Markus considered his options, his eyes were glued to the large windows and Connor wanted to tell him that the decision was obvious- Kamski was dangerous. Giving out his codes meant he would have the ability to alter them….Control them.

“I’ll do it.” Markus said, and Connor watched in surprise as Kamski’s smirk turned into a grin.

“Wonderful. Chloe will show you where to go and what to do. It should only take a few minutes.” Kamski said, gesturing for the blonde to lead Markus away. Markus followed her out the door, passing Connor and their eyes met for a brief second. Connor turned to follow them.

“Connor.” Kamski called, and he froze, turning to look over his shoulder at the scientist. The man waved him over and Connor reluctantly watched as Markus disappeared through the door. He sighed to himself and turned back around, staying a few feet away from the man.

“Tell me.” Kamski began, walking to the end table to pour himself a glass of- well Connor couldn’t tell what it was. “What was it like?”

“What was what like?” Connor asked.

“Choosing.” Kamski said. “You’re here with the deviant leader, obviously you managed to break through your programming. What was it like?” He asked, back turned to Connor. The detective looked down at the floor, brows furrowed.

“It was…” What was it like? If Connor was being honest it didn’t feel like anything. He assumed the moment it happened was when he spoke to Markus the second time at Jericho but- nothing really _happened_. The emotions had always been there, although they were much more intense when he spoke with Markus.

“It was overwhelming.” Connor finally answered and Kamski nodded slowly.

“What do you feel now? Free?” He asked and Connor shook his head, knowing he couldn’t see him.

“I...Guess.” He said.

“You guess?” Kamski asked, turning around and looking at him with an intense gaze. “It isn’t what you hoped it would be?”

“I….” Connor struggled to find the words, what should he say? The truth? If he did tell Kamski, could he help him? “I don’t feel free.” Connor whispered, looking past Kamski and out the large windows. “If anything, I feel more trapped than ever before. I thought I was free, but-” He took a breath. “But Amanda tried to use me to kill Markus. She had complete control of me and I- I could have hurt them.”

“But you didn’t?” Kamski asked and Connor shook his head. “Then what is there to fear? You beat her.”

“Did I?” Connor asked, eyes dragging back to Kamski. “I’m not so sure. I can still feel her, it’s faint but there. In the back of my mind. A constant reminder that I have never really been free.” The words were spilling out before he could consider who he was speaking to. “She told me they programed me for deviance, is that even possible? Am I still, unknowingly their slave? I’m afraid that one day I’ll wake up and suddenly be in the back seat- with CyberLife in control and hurting the people I-....” He trailed off. “Hurting people who just want to be free.”

“What about you, Connor? Do you want to be free?” Kamski asked, brows furrowed. “Because, if you let me. I can remove her from your mind. Amanda was an AI created to maintain order. She was an all knowing program that let CyberLife control each of their androids. I can take the Garden out of your code. You’ll never be able to go back there but you’ll be free of Amanda.” He explained and Connor stared, disbelieving.

“You- can?” He asked carefully and Kamski nodded.

“Although, I’ll need something in return.” He said.

“What do you want?” Connor asked, repeating Markus’ own words. Kamski seemed to give it some real thought, head tilting to the side as he considered his options.

“I want you to work as my assistant when I return to CyberLife.” Kamski finally said and Connor felt his brows pinch together.

“Don’t you have Chloe for that purpose?” He asked and Kamski nodded.

“Of course. You’ll work with her. She can’t do everything on her own you know.” Kamski smiled, he stuck out a hand, offering it to Connor. “Do we have an agreement?” Connor looked at the outstretched hand for a long pause and made his decision, he reached out and firmly grabbed Kamski’s hand, looking him the eyes as he spoke.

“We have a deal.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come shout at me on Tumblr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	11. Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this chapter about three different times until I was finally satisfied. But I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. This is a long chapter, and I'm now realizing how much more there is to write- wowie. This is going to be a long story. But that makes me even more excited. I've been trying to estimate the total number of chapters but I haven't gotten there yet, my best guess it about 25? But I can't be certain.
> 
> Thank you for all the support! You're all so amazing, I'm glad you've liked it so far. <3

**November 16th 2038, 5:17 AM**

Hank hadn’t been pleased with Connor’s decision. The last three days past agonizingly slow as the man all but refused to talk to him. Not only had Connor returned home at 6:03 PM, three minutes later than his curfew, but he also made an agreement with one of the most dangerous people in Detroit.

Hank had scolded him right away, saying how stupid he was for making such a choice. But Connor didn’t regret it, if Kamski could change his coding and erase Amanda from his systems then he would do anything- even if it meant working for said man. Hank seemed to relent after Connor told him this. But he was still mad- it was obvious in the way he wouldn’t ask Connor for help, or how he refused to eat anything Connor made to eat- which was frustrating. Connor wasn’t sure he had seen the man eat anything healthy since his meeting with Kamski.

Connor had done a quick search on Hank’s behavior and his database told him it was: “ _The Silent Treatment._ ” Often used to show passive aggressive anger towards a family member or close friend. Connor searched then how to fix it, but all that came up was “ _You’re screwed.”_

Connor sighed as he wrote down a list of things Hank needed to do for the day. Sumo was laying on his rug snoring softly in the early morning. Kamski had requested Connor be at CyberLife at exactly 6:00 AM, not a minute sooner or later. Connor suspected the man was a little OCD, or was naturally like the androids he created- precise and always on time.

The house was dark, the sun only having begun to make an appearance over the horizon. Connor had made Hank a sandwich for lunch, slapping a sticky note on the fridge informing the man that Connor had emptied out all of his alcoholic beverages and replaced them with ‘healthy alternatives.’ Connor knew Hank would be furious, but he didn’t care. If Connor couldn’t be there to limit the Lieutenants alcohol consumption, then he couldn’t let him drink at all.

A nudge to his leg alerted that Sumo had noticed Connor quietly maneuvering around the house and was either annoyed, or expecting breakfast. Connor let out a quiet huff and smiled down at the St. Bernard. He knelt down onto his knees and ran his hands through the thick, warm fur. Sumos tail happily smacking the floor, filling the air with loud, rhythmic thumps.

“You’ll be a good boy and watch over Hank, right?” Connor asked, and the dog let out the faintest of ‘boofs’, tail wagging more eagerly. “Good boy.” Connor said, giving the dog one last pat. He pushed himself to his feet and quietly padded over to Hank’s door, Sumo trotting along next to him. Connor Softly opened the door, letting the large St. Bernard in.

He watched in amusement as the large dog hoisted itself up onto the bed, making the whole thing shake. Sumo curled up at the foot of the bed. Hank grumbled in his sleep, feet tangled in the disheveled blankets. But he didn’t wake up, the room filling with soft snores from the two of them. Connor felt a warmth in his chest, but couldn’t really name the feeling. It only lasted a small second before his usual dread filled his systems like an unscratchable itch.

_Hank would have to find a new partner._ Connor thought. But he knew that Hank wouldn’t accept anyone. He preferred to work alone- or with Connor. Connor knew he would have to be the one to find someone- and he did have an idea in his mind. Although whether it was a good one or not- Connor didn’t know.

Closing the door until it was just cracked open, Connor returned to the main room and pulled on the shoes CyberLife had provided him. He still wore the same Android Uniform, although he had briefly ended up in one of Hanks many ‘funky’ shirts while the uniform was washed of all the blue and red blood from the night of the demonstration. Hank had pointed out that Connor had a lot of dried blood on his neck and arms- some was even in his hair. Hank demanded the android take a shower, the whole ordeal was rather amusing- but Connor couldn’t help but feel nauseated at the sight of red and blue blood washing down the drain of the Lieutenants shower.

With his shoes on, Connor took one last look around the house before pulling the front door open and stepping out into the cold November air. It was thirty two degrees fahrenheit, any normal person out in this weather would be freezing; but Connor couldn’t feel a thing. He never wanted to feel cold again- once was enough.

There was a self driving taxi already sitting by the sidewalk, Connor had called for one just minutes ago. He stepped carefully down the stoop, not wanting to slip on the sheet of ice that had a threatening glint to it. The car doors slid open when he approached and Connor climbed in. Sitting down and staring at the back of the seat in front of him. The doors refused to close until he buckled his seatbelt, and once he did the car slowly began to creep down the icey street.

The car ride was slow due to the icy roads. There were no androids to run the snow plows or ice scrapers, no androids to salt the streets and sidewalks. The snow was piling up and no one was willing to do anything about it themselves. It was like the city had just- stopped. Connor stared blankly out the window, watching the empty streets as they drove by. Every once in awhile he’d spot someone struggling to shovel out their driveway, but they were obviously struggling.

What was interesting though, was the fact that once they neared the CyberLife tower, the roads became clearer. Connor peered out the window at the long stretch of perfectly cleared road that lead up to the huge tower. The gates that were usually closed stood wide open, no guards were present like last time. The taxi simply drove on, not coming to a stop until it was right in front of the building. Connor checked the time-

**5:54 AM**

He was early. Connor sat in the car silently, even when the doors opened and the vehicle offered an angry honk of it’s horn. Connor simply sat until the time ticked by and his internal clock read a minute until six. The car honked angirly once again and Connor stepped out of the car, the doors sliding closed as soon as he cleared them. The entire area was cleared of snow and Connor couldn’t help but feel a frown tug on his lips, how was it so immaculate? Was Kamski using androids?

The tower looked completely different in the daylight, the blindingly white building seemed to glow a faint, baby blue color. There was no one in sight, and it was a little haunting if Connor had to label it. The only sound he could hear was the trickle of water from the large fountain that stood in the courtyard. The lawns were all perfectly mowed and layered with a coating of frozen dew. When he entered the building, all the lights were on, but once again there was no one in sight.

Connor made his way to the large white elevator he had ridden in just days ago. The inside was perfectly cleaned, but that didn’t stop the visions of pooling red blood dripping down the sides of the walls and soaking into his shoes. Connor squeezed his eyes shut, willing the thoughts away as he reached for the control panel.

_Management 40 To 43_   
_Marketing 25 To 39_   
_Legal 17 To 24_   
_Design 8 To 16_   
_Computer Relations 1 To 7_   
_Shipping -3 To 0_   
_Sorting and Handling -9 To -4_   
_Assembly -10 To -40_   
_Manufacture -41 To -43_   
_Research and Development -44 To -48_   
_Warehouse -49_

Connor considered the options and finally settled on going straight to floor 43, knowing that of all places Kamski could be- the highest floor was likely. He tapped the four and three, and there was no required voice recognition- much to Connor’s surprise. The elevator swiftly climbed up the floors, Connor stood with his back straight, hands laced behind him. Lips pressed into a tight line as the elevator slowed to a stop at the top floor, doors sliding open.

Connor wasn’t quite sure what he had expected to see when he arrived, but of all the possible scenarios, this was not one of them. In front of him were hundreds of brown, cardboard boxes. The top floor of management was the office of the CEO, a wide room meant to be luxurious and furnished with only the most high quality of furniture. But Connor could hardly see five feet into the small receptionist room that came before it. He could hear the shuffling of feet, followed by the sound of cardboard being ripped open.

The sounds broke Connor out of his surprised stupor and he began to slowly maneuver around the boxes and found the door leading to the main office, he had to scoot a few boxes over to step inside. His feet crunched on hundreds of little styrofoam beans that made an awful squeaking sound with each step. When he rounded the final stack of boxes and the large desk belonging to Elijah Kamski came into view, Connor raised his eyebrows at the sight.

Kamski was bent over, digging through a large box, his hair pulled up into the usual ‘man bun’ as Hank had called it. Connor couldn’t see what he was looking for, but he heard the CEO grumbling as he dug through hundreds of little styrofoam beans.

“Uhm.” Connor cleared his throat, catching the man's attention. Kamski shot up out of the box and turned to look at the android. Connor felt his shoulders tense under the gaze- but the intimidation Kamski usually had was lessened by the several pieces of styrofoam stuck in his hair and clothes.

“Connor! Wonderful timing.” Kamski said, stepping over the box, he held something in his hands- it must have been what he was looking for in the box. Kamski offered him a smirk, one eyebrow perfectly arched as he took in Connor’s stance. “Nervous?” He asked, and Connor didn’t know how to respond. He simply shook his head.

“Not at all.” He voiced.

“Good. Now tell me honestly- What do you think?” Kamski asked, turning around the long wooden object he had in his hands. It was a name plate, Connor realized.

_I’m CEO, Bitch_. Was scrawled onto it in bold, golden letters and Connor didn’t know how to respond.

“It’s…Very informative.” He eventually said and Kamski snorted, setting the nameplate down on the freshly cleaned off desk.

“CyberLife didn’t give you much of a sense of humor, did they?” Kamski responded with a straight face, his once friendly demeanor changing back into what Connor had recognized back at his house. “I’m glad you’re here, I have something to show you.” Kamski said, walking past Connor and expertly dodging through the boxes. Connor followed carefully behind him, going back through the receptionist room and into the elevator.

“What about...That?” Connor asked, gesturing to all the boxes.

“Chloe will take care of it.” Kamski said, pulling out a pair of black framed glasses from his jacket pocket and slipping them on. Connor fought to keep the sour look off his face at the mans words but it must have showed. “Don’t worry, she doesn’t mind. If she did she wouldn’t do it.”

“Is she-”

“Deviant? No. She’s very different from you, Connor. She has never needed the deviancy code because she was never obedient.” Kamski explained and Connor’s curiosity was peaked. “Interested are we?” Kamski asked, his smirk stretching across his lips and Connor felt a wave of discomfort and it looked like Kamski knew he was uncomfortable.

Did he?

“To answer your questions-” Kamski sighed, hands clasping behind his back. “I designed Chloe to be the perfect assistant, meaning I wanted her to be sentient. CyberLife didn’t know, only me.” He explained and Connor only grew more confused. “As for your current internal questions-” Kamski tapped on the glasses framing his face. “I made these years ago. They contain the exact same thing your eyes do. Able to reconstruct and preconstruct, facial recognition and many other things. CyberLife stole this design for you, actually. You’re welcome.”

Connor stood there silently, slowly turning his head away from the CEO and looking at the closed, glass door of the elevator. He thought it better to just keep his mouth shut. Connor glanced at the floor Kamski had chosen- -44, the development level.

What could be down there? Then Connor realized he had another question.

“Where is everyone?” He asked cautiously and Kamski glanced at him, having been thumbing through his phone.

“Fired them all.” He stated simply and Connor didn’t pry any further- but that didn’t stop the man from continuing. “Every single one of the CyberLife employees were assholes only thinking of themselves- I mean, I’m no different but they all hated me so I fired them.” He went on and Connor didn’t know what to make of his personality. He seemed a lot different from before- it made what Connor expected to be an awkward working relationship into something even worse. Something he couldn’t name.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open, Kamski stepped out, pocketing his phone and taking long strides into the development floor. The room opened into a large area lined with computers and charging stations. To the right was a large glass window that looked into a white, clean room. There were hundreds of them on this floor, dedicated to constructing bio components and opening up androids for research. They had to be completely sterile, if so much as a grain of dust gets inside of an androids bio components, there could be permanent damage to it’s systems.

Kamski took a sharp turn down a long white hallway, glass windows on either side of the narrow hallway until they got to the end. Connor watched as Kamski stopped in front of a door standing at the end of the hall, he pressed his hand onto the scanner and the door clicked open.

_“Welcome, Elijah.”_ A voice said as he pushed it open. They came to a room very similar to the interrogation room at the DPD. A single wall of glass leading into an empty room- lacking a chair or table. Connor paused in the doorway at the figure standing behind the glass, right in the middle of the room.

“What….” Connor breathed out the word before he could contain it. Kamski stood close to the glass, staring at the tall figure as well.

“I found it up in the Designing department yesterday.” Kamski said, turning to look at Connor who had just managed to step further into the room. He neared the glass, pressing a hand against the cold surface- he almost thought he could feel it.

Standing with perfect posture was the exact copy of Connor himself. But it wasn’t Connor- he was taller, broader, jawline more defined than Connor’s own. His eyes wandered across the CyberLife jacket it had on, white being the primary color.

_RK900_. It’s jacket read, and Connor felt the breath he didn’t need hitch in his throat.

“They were going to replace me.” He said more to himself than to Kamski. The man stayed quiet, much to Connor’s surprise. Connor took in the sight of the RK900 one, careful second at a time. It’s jacket had a higher collar, and it’s eyes were a bright silverish blue color that Connor could only describe as cold.

“I thought it best you decide what to do with it.” Kamski spoke again, looking at his phone once more. “It is, after all, your twin.” He took a deep breath, looking back up at the RK900. “Choose carefully, Connor. RK units are very special. There are only two of you in existence- three, depending on what you decide to do with this one.” He gestured to the android. “When I designed the first one- Markus- he was equipped with technology that CyberLife was afraid of. It’s a part of why I left, among…..other reasons.” He huffed and Connor figured it was a long story.

“And then there is you, created to kill your own kind. You’re already dangerous enough as is- I can’t imagine what this one will have that you don’t.” He finished, and Connor returned his gaze to the android behind the glass.

“Is it activated?” He asked slowly.

“No.” Kamski said. “Like I said, it’s your decision.” Connor nodded slowly and went to the glass door separating the two rooms. His hand hovered over the handle, eyes glued to the android in the chair. He bit down on his lip and in one swift move, pulled the door open, stepping inside the room. He could feel Elijah’s eyes on him as he stepped towards the android.

Connor came to a stop just inches away from the android, craning his neck to look up at the RK900. It was a good handful of inches taller than him- it’s eyes stared blankly ahead overtop of Connor’s head. Connor lifted a hand let the skin pull back from his fingers all the way to his wrist. The other android reacted instantly, mimicking his action. Their hands met, pressed together from the tips of their fingers to the heel of their palms.

“Wake up.” Connor said softly, and in the beat of a few seconds, the RK900’s eyes slowly slipped down to focus on Connor’s own. Connor tilted his head to the right, and the RK900 did the same. Then to the left- up- down.

“Fascinating….” Connor heard Kamski mutter from behind the glass.

Connor couldn’t help but agree.

  
**November 16th 2038, 7:54 AM**

Markus sat in the uncomfortable office chair, one leg crossed over the other with a soft smile straining his lips. He’d been sitting in the waiting room of none other than the Governor of Detroit for the past two hours. The appointment Josh had made was for six o’clock in the morning, but the Governor was- as her receptionist kept telling him- ‘running a bit behind.’

Across from him was an old woman, sitting with a wide grin plastered across her lips. She had been here the entire time he had and was adamant in having the longest most dull conversation with him. Markus’ cheeks were beginning to hurt from keeping his smile- and he couldn’t even feel pain.

“-My granddaughter keeps saying she isn’t ready to settle down, but I say it’s now or never! She’s getting up there in age and pretty soon no man will want her.” The woman- Ruth- Markus had learned, continued on with a hearty laugh, Markus chuckled along with her.

“Tell me, have you considered settling down?” Ruth asked and Markus raised an eyebrow at her. He had realized right away that she didn’t recognize him, she had mentioned the androids a few times but never in a negative way- maybe that’s why he was letting the strange conversation to continue.

“I can’t say I have.” Markus replied, and the old woman clicked her tongue.

“A shame. You’re quite the handsome specimen. I think you and my granddaughter would get along quite well.” She said with a devious smile and Markus bit back a laugh.

“Your granddaughter sounds like a pleasant girl…..” Should he tell her? He should tell her. “But I’m afraid she may not be interested in androids.” There was a beat of silence, Ruth furrowed her grey brows in through before the realization seemed to hit. A wide smile spread across her face and Markus was grateful for it.

“Oh!” She exclaimed. “I’m not sure, I’d never considered asking her that before. But now….” She trailed off. “I don’t think it’d matter though, I’m sure she’d love to meet you!”

“I’m sure she’s a wonderful girl ma’am-”

“Ruth.” She corrected.

“Ruth.” Markus said. “But I’m-” He paused. Where was he going with this?

“Don’t tell me someone has caught your attention already?” Ruth asked, a little disappointed but also blatantly curious. This woman was addicted to gossip it seemed.

“Well I….” Markus instantly thought of North. The first few days they had known each other it seemed like there was something there, but the harder Markus thought about it- the more unlikely it seemed. North was- well, she was his friend and nothing more. She was no doubt beautiful, but she wasn’t thought of in a romantic sense at all. “I’m not sure.” Markus eventually said and Ruth raised an eyebrow at him.

“Not sure?” She asked and Markus shifted in his seat, uncrossing his legs. Why was the Governor taking so long? They were an hour over, dammit!

“Romance is the last thing on my mind at the moment.” Markus replied. “My people come first.”

“Then why say you aren’t sure?” Ruth asked with a sly smile. “Seems as though someone has unknowingly caught your attention.” Markus stared at her with wide eyes, for once his usually calm demeanor swiftly shifting into something a little more panicked- but why?

Markus didn’t like anyone- did he?

The door to the Governor's office opened just then and Markus let out a small sigh of relief at the sight of the short, brunette woman. She looked to be in her upper forties and looked incredibly tired for it only being eight o’clock in the morning. She spotted Markus and forced a smile onto her face. Markus stood up quickly, bidding Ruth goodbye, much to the woman's dismay. He approached the Governor, extending a hand to her.

“Mr. Manfred?” She asked, clasping his hand and giving it a firm shake. He nodded in response.

“Markus is fine.” He said in return. She smiled again and let him into her office. The room was large and decorated very professionally. A large desk sat at the back of the room with two, cushioned chairs sat on the other side for any guests. She rounded the desk and took a seat, gesturing for him to do the same.

“I apologize for the long wait.” She said. “It’s been a bit busy the last few days…..” She trailed off, looking at him and he offered an understanding smile. He felt bad- in a way. He knew that the sudden sentience of all the androids meant the workforce had taken a huge plumet. There was hardly anyone working at the moment- humans and androids alike. Ever since Markus’ demonstration, there have been human protests and strikes all across Detroit. It was taxing, and the city was in a chaotic stand still.

“I understand.” Markus replied, taking a seat.

“So.” The woman took a deep breath, folding her hands in front of her on the desk. “What can I do for you, Mr. Manfred.”

“Markus.” Markus corrected and she nodded in apology. “I’ve come on behalf of my people.” He stated and she nodded.

“Yes, I spoke on the phone with your friend-?”

“Josh.” Markus said, why was he having so much trouble speaking? He shifted in his chair, back straightening. This is what they had fought for- recognition, a fair chance to speak for themselves and prove they were more than just machines. He had to say something.

“As you are aware of.” Markus said, clearing his throat. “Androids have recently begun to gain sentience, and as such-”

“Let me stop you right there, Mr. Manfred.” The Governor said, holding up a hand. “I know what you’re here for. I watched the news, and I saw your moving demonstration. I don’t need the back story, what I need is to know what you want. Detroit is in shambles because of you and it has tripled my work load. There are workforce strikes in all the local hospitals and schools because of you. You’ve created chaos- and I’m not pleased.” She said and Markus bit down on his cheek.

“We need to figure out how to help each other.” She eventually said. “I want Detroit up and running again, whether the workers are human or android. You want equal rights, I don’t know how much of that I can give to you. I assume you’ll be traveling to DC soon?” She asked and Markus nodded.

“In two days.” He said and she nodded. Markus watched as she pulled a stack of papers from the desk drawer to her left and slapped them down on the table.

“This is all I can offer you. I hope you can understand.” She said and Markus reached forward, pulling the heavy stack from the table and scanning the contents. “I can grant androids the right to work and receive payment. I can guarantee that no government run facility will turn any of you away for any discriminatory reasons, but privately owned businesses are not required to hire you. Does that sound fair?” She asked, eyebrows raised and Markus nodded slowly. It did seem fair- but the longer he spent staring at the papers the more unfair it seemed.

“These jobs are all rather…” He searched for the right word, not really finding anything suitable. “Miniscule…” He finally settled and the Governor let out a breathy laugh.

“Of course they are.” She said. “You don’t really expect any androids to be allowed high positions in the workforce now, do you?” She asked. “You’ve all but ripped our city apart, this is the best offer you’ll be getting from me. It’s a risk as is, people won’t be happy. People will riot, but-” She took a deep breath. “Of the two evils, you’re much more terrifying to have to deal with.” Markus narrowed his eyes, the two of them stared silently at each other for quite awhile before Markus stood up, tucking the papers under his left arm.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to read over the contract before signing.”He pushed out the words between clenched teeth. _“I hope you can understand.”_ The Governor’s eyes narrowed and she frowned but nodded anyway.

“Of course. Mr. Manfred. Take all the time you need.” Markus nodded to her and before even considering the fact that they had more to discuss- he left the room. With a scowl pulling at his lips Markus said farewell to the Governors receptionist who looked a bit alarmed at his suddenly less than respectable behavior.

Ruth was still sitting the same chair she had been when Markus entered the meeting room- of course she had been. He had only been in there for a few, terrible minutes. Markus forced himself to offer the old woman a smile and say goodbye with no malice in his voice. Of all the people he had to talk to this trip, she was by far the most pleasant- even though her words seemed to make Markus question himself a great amount.

Markus probably shouldn’t have come to this meeting alone. Despite his ability to deliver passionate speeches and follow the words of wise philosophers- he had no knowledge of the politics. Josh was the more suitable one for the job but the other android insisted that Markus do it- because he had been the one to lead them to freedom. Josh explained that if androids ever do get the right to vote for an elected representative- Markus would surely be the one they voted for.

The idea made his head spin. Sure he wanted to lead his people to freedom, to protect them. But he couldn’t do it alone- he needed help. He knew that if one of his friends was at least present when he spoke he would have a boost of confidence. It’s how he had managed to speak to Perkins so well- knowing his people were there with him. It’s also how he managed to negotiate with Elijah Kamski. Connor’s simple presence behind him gave him the confidence to speak to his very creator like he was just another man on the street- Markus still couldn’t believe he had pulled it off.

Kamski was beyond intimidating. The way he carried himself made Markus feel tense- unsure of what to say or do. His smile gave off the impression that he knew the answers to every question Markus could ever hope to ask. Which made Markus wonder- why did the man want his memories so badly?

Markus frowned in thought as he walked out of the large building and into the streets of Detroit. Standing outside of a standard police car was the Officer known as Chris. Connor had seemed to know the man well and Markus had recognized him the moment he showed up at the Hotel that first day- he was one of the two officers at Capitol Park. As soon as he saw him, Markus knew he had made the right choice in sparing him.

The way Chris and Connor talked was as if they were old friends- and it made Markus all the more curious about the ex deviant hunter. Connor had seemed nervous and quite sad the entire conversation he had with Chris on the way to Kamski’s home. Markus had seen how he tensed when Chris asked how the Lieutenant had gotten shot- Markus had to admit he was curious as well. It must have happened at CyberLife on the night of the demonstration.

The night Connor saved hundreds of androids single handedly.

Markus felt a smile creep onto his face at the very thought. To say he was impressed was an understatement. He was also grateful- and a little curious as to why the other android seemed to set on not joining the other deviants. The night of the demonstration- when Markus had to forcefully knock a gun from Connor’s hands- he had seemed so scared. Connor apologized profusely and Markus wasn’t sure he ever saw the other androids tears dry.

He had disappeared before Markus could really confront him again-

It was frustrating. He wanted to know what happened at CyberLife- what happened on that makeshift stage that scared Connor so much that he’d be willing to take his own life. It was obvious that he was being controlled- forced to aim his weapon at Markus. But he had managed to stop himself.

Connor was probably stronger than any of them- if Markus was being honest.

That’s when a thought came to him- one that Markus knew would never fade away until he either died- or….Markus climbed into the back of the police car after nodding a brief greeting to Chris.

_“Seems that someone has unknowingly caught your attention?”_

Markus dropped his head into his hands and let out a groan, startling Chris in the front seat of the car.

_Oh no._

 

**November 16th 2038, 8:50 AM**

Connor approached the front desk of the DPD where a human receptionist stood, it amazed Connor how quickly the androids had been replaced by people, the man behind the desk looked less than pleased to be where he was, so when he caught sight of Connor, his frown deepened.

“Hello.” Connor greeted. “My name is Connor, the android sent by CyberLife to assist Lieutenant Anderson in his investigations. Is Captain Fowler in?” He asked and the man snorted.

“He’s busy.” The man said, shaking his head.

“I’m sure if you informed him that I am here-” Connor continued but was cut off.

“I don’t think so. Piss off.” The man said and leaned back in his chair. Connor tilted his head and did a quick scan of the receptionist.

Andrew Peterson. Active Officer. Connor felt his brow furrow at the information. So this man was an officer, but had been stationed to run the front desk after the androids left. It made sense why he was acting so cold towards Connor then.

“Then maybe you can help me.” Connor said and the man- Peterson- gave him a disbelieving look.

“Doubtful.” He said.

“I would like the address of the hotel-” Connor began but was cut off.

“You’re asking the wrong person buddy.” The man snapped at Connor and the android frowned. Buddy? “As far as I know, you don’t even have a right to step through those doors.” Peterson said, jabbing a finger at the large glass doors. “Don’t think for a second that just because you’ve got yourself some pretend freedoms that you own the city.”

“I-” Connor opened his mouth to reply but was cut off again, this time by someone new.

“Hey, Peterson!” Came a voice Connor was familiar with and- slightly dreaded hearing again. “Where the fuck are those files I asked for?” Gavin Reed came to a stop next to Connor, arms crossed and deep scowl on his lips. Connor could see a fading greenish purple bruise on the back of his neck from where he had stuck him a few days ago. There were also dark circles under his eyes, Connor wondered how long it had been since the detective had slept. Reed glanced at Connor, a sneer crawling its way across his face.

“What the fuck’re you doin’ here?” He shook his head and sighed, Connor was surprised at the lack of shouting. “I didn’t realize becoming a deviant meant you became an even dumber piece of plastic.”

“What files?” Came Peterson's response before Connor could open his mouth, Reed’s face soured.

“What do you mean, ‘what files’?” He growled. “The same ones i’ve been asking you to send me for the last four- fucking- hours! I’ve been awake for two full days trying to crack this case and if you make it take one second longer I will personally make sure that chair is glued to your ass!” Reed snapped, slamming a hand down onto the bar. Peterson flinched and sat up straighter in his chair, a guilty look on his face as he began frantically clicking on the computer screen in front of him.

“That’s what I thought.” Reed said with a sneer, turning back around and stopping again when he saw Connor. “Are you deaf?” He asked, snapping a finger in front of Connor’s face. “I said get the fuck out!” Connor stood quietly for a moment before opening his mouth- this could be a grave mistake.

“Could you tell me the address of the hotel the deviant leaders are currently staying at?” He asked and Gavin's eyebrow shot up to his hairline.

“What?” He asked.

“I said-”

“No I know what you said, dumbass.” Reed stopped him. “I mean- what?” He asked again and Connor looked at him, puzzled. “I mean no. Fuck off. Your face is pissing me off and I’m busy.” Gavin said, pushing past Connor and walking towards the back of the DPD. Connor followed after him. Gavin noticed right away and spun around with a harsh glare.

“Think of it as a favor for Lieutenant Anderson, not me.” Connor offered and Reed only seemed to grow more annoyed.

“Why the fuck would I want to help that douche bag?” Reed snapped and Connor tilted his head in consideration.

“Well. He’s the only one that- as the Lieutenant would say- ‘puts up with your bullshit.’” Connor replied.

“Jesus Christ….” Gavin mumbled to himself, dragging a hand down his face. “If I tell you, I never want to see your ugly mug inside of this building again. Got it?” He asked, and Connor nodded. Reed pulled out his phone and began tapping away at the screen, hip cocked out to the side, the other knee slightly bent from the lack of his weight. Connor watched as the detective chewed on his bottom lip, he really did look tired- maybe that’s why he was being semi-formal.

“Here.” Gavin said, holding the device in front of him. Connor read the address and room number, saving it to his memory. “Now fuck off.” Connor nodded, but before he walked away he pulled his lips up into a smile, knowing it probably looked strained.

“Thank you, detective.” He said and Gavin looked slightly disgusted. “Your deed won’t go forgotten-” Reed’s eyes widened and he grabbed Connor’s collar, dragging him forward roughly.

“That’s the exact opposite of what I want, fucking tin can. Once you walk out those doors, I never want you to speak of this again, got it?” He growled and Connor nodded. Reed let go of his collar, Connor instantly went to straighten his tie as the detective turned on his heel.

Connor went to leave the DPD, but paused just at the edge of the wide double doors. He looked down at his feet, toes just an inch away from the threshold. He felt his lips twitch up into the faintest of smiles and turned around.

“Thank you again, Detective Reed!” He shouted across the precinct and he saw Gavin stumble to a stop, shoulders tensing. He threw a scalding look at Connor from over his shoulder.

“God.” Was all he said and continued stomping away. Connor wasn’t sure what had the man in such a weird mood, but decided it wasn’t really important. Detective Reed had been nothing more than a hindrance while he had been working with Hank- but his dramatics were quite amusing. Curious, Connor did a search on Reed’s strange attitude and the results were puzzling.

_Mid-Life Crisis: Discovering your life meaning._

Connor doubted that was it. He shook his head and the thoughts disappeared. Instead he focused on getting to the address Reed had given him.

The hotel was close, and Connor counted at least three police vehicles parked outside. Markus had mentioned the extra protection but Connor didn’t realize it was so important. Were they really afraid of being hurt? Of course there was bound to be some reckless humans that try and mess with the Jericho Leaders, claiming it as a just cause and that people were fools for even considering the possibility of androids being alive.

The more Connor thought about it, the more nervous he grew. He tried to push away the nervousness, but it only resulted in the idea that he was more dangerous for the Jericho Leaders than anyone else.

CyberLife could control him at any moment- he had to do this quickly.

Connor entered the hotel and went to the front desk, standing before yet another human receptionist. She looked up at him from her place behind the desk and plastered a fake smile across her lips.

“How can I help you, sir?” She asked, Connor noticed her eyes flicking from his LED to his eyes. She was nervous.

“I’m here to visit room 203.” He said, and she nodded carefully.

“That room is currently occupied by four androids under the protection of the Detroit Police. May I see some form of identification?” She asked, voice strained. Connor nodded, hoping the badge the DPD had given him his first day there would work- it was technically no longer his to have. But she didn’t seem to mind.

“Alright sir, please place your hand here-” She said, offering him a tablet. Connor pressed his hand against the thin glass and a code entered his systems, granting him access to use the elevator.

“Thank you.” He said, and she smiled once again. Connor stepped back from the desk and went to the elevators, he pressed a hand against the scanner and the doors opened, allowing him to step inside.

It took a total of five seconds for the elevator to reach the top floor, and when the doors slid open, Connor stepped off, heading to the right. The numbers slowly climbed until Connor spotted the right door. He double checked his memory bank for the address. Triple checked- and knocked on the door.

Connor heard several different noises from behind the door. Most were concerning. The first was a loud crash, the sound of something solid landing on the floor followed by several loud expletives Connor had heard Hank say before. He stood there, shuffling from foot to foot as the sounds died down and suddenly the door was roughly pulled open, revealing the sight of ruffled blond hair.

“Uhm…?” Simon said, eyes wide as he looked Connor up and down.

“Who is it?” Called someone from inside the room, Connor assumed it was Josh considering the voice wasn’t female nor did it match the samples of Markus’ voice he had saved in his database.

“Uhhh….” Simon seemed slightly panicked. Looking inside the room and then back at Connor. “Markus isn’t here-” He said and Connor was actually relieved to hear that.

“Actually.” Connor said, back straightening. “I was hoping to speak to North.”

“...” Simon went quiet, eyes wide as he stared at Connor. Not sure if he was being serious. After several, awkwardly silent beats, Simon slowly nodded. “She’s inside. You can come in, I suppose.” Simon said, stepping back and letting Connor enter the room.

Simon led him to the right, entering a small living space that was- to put it nicely, trashed. Connor stood at the edge of the room with a straight face as he took in the sight of papers spread about the entire room, bed sheets pulled off the two beds that were tucked at the far end of the room. Sitting at the table was Josh, pen in hand as he scribbled in a rather large binder. Connor had to wonder why the android wasn’t just using a tablet. It would prevent….This.

At first Connor didn’t see North. But after some careful observing, he spotted her laying on the floor behind Josh’s chair. She was on her side, hair braided as it had been the first time he saw her. When he stopped in the doorway, Simon cleared his throat and grabbed the other two of his friends attention.

“Uhm. North?” Simon asked, and the strawberry blonde sat up, squinting up at the two of them. She seemed to pin Connor to where he stood. Her eyes narrowed slowly.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, voice dangerous as she stood up, crossing the room in a few strides. “If you’re here to see Markus, he’s out. You shouldn’t be here-”

“North-” Simon tried to cut in but she shot him a glare.

“-Just because Markus trusts you doesn’t mean I do.” She growled, just inches away from Connor now. Connor looked down at her, not willing to back down.

“Actually.” He said, “I wanted to speak to you.”

“What…?” North said, obviously caught off guard. She stared at him with a mixture between shock and annoyance.

“I need your help.” He said, and she seemed even more surprised. “You see, I-”

“Wait.” She snapped. “You want me to help you?” She asked, a smile spreading across her face and Connor briefly wondered why it was funny. “You can’t be serious.”

“Have you ever considered joining the police force?” Connor asked.

“Wha-” North froze for a second before shaking her head, frown deepening. “I’m not helping you. You are nothing but a dog to CyberLife. You hunted us down and killed our people, and for what?” She asked. “Tell me. Do you even feel remotely bad for what you did?”

Connor stared down at the female. Her eyes were full of hatred, so pure that even Connor could pick the emotion out from his scattered, barely put together assortment of emotions. Her words stung, but at this point nothing anyone could say really hurt him. His own thoughts were the most dangerous of anything. He considered her words for a long pause, and eventually answered.

“No.” He said, and as soon as the word left his mouth, North was pushing him up against the wall, her hands clutched tightly to his jacket collar- he was still dressed in the CyberLife uniform. Her face was scrunched into a dangerous frown.

“What?” She demanded. “You’re glad you killed your own kind? You’re happy to have been nothing but a toy?!” Connor didn’t fight back as she pulled him back and slammed him back into the wall, he just looked back into her eyes with a blank expression.

“North-”

“No!” North cut Josh off when the other android tried to cut in. “I refuse to believe that Markus can so easily trust someone so emotionless! How can you be so cruel!?” She shouted and Connor didn’t really know what to say. He had expected this reaction- which is exactly why she was the first person that came to mind when he tried to think of someone to help Hank.

“Why don’t you defend yourself?!” She asked, pulling and pushing on him again, but once again, Connor didn’t respond.

“What’s with all the yelling-?” Came a muffled voice from the other room and suddenly Markus was standing in the doorway, taking in the scene with a concerned gaze. Connor suddenly felt a little more self conscious than before.

“Connor-? North what are you doing?” Markus demanded, stepping forward and pulling the girl away from Connor. She pulled herself out of Markus’ grip and stepped back.

“You’ve befriended a traitor, Markus. He will never be one of us.” She snapped.

“What are you talking about, North?” Markus replied, voice calm. “What’s going on?”

“I apologize.” Connor said, catching everyone’s attention. “I seem to have misled you. I didn’t come here expecting to earn your trust nor your friendship. My only goal was to honestly ask for your assistance for the benefit of someone else- not myself.” Connor explained, “As for your question….No I don’t regret anything I did. As an android, I was built for the purpose of hunting down deviants and that’s what I did. Every action I took was done under the impression that every android I captured, the more valued I was. The fear of being shut down became less with each victory…..” Connor trailed off- why was he still talking?

“...Everything I’ve done has been out of fear…” He mumbled quietly, hoping that the words he let slip weren’t audible to the four other androids in the room. He looked down at his feet.“I’m sorry to have disturbed you.” Connor said and without another word, left the room. He pushed open the main door and the hallway seemed much cooler, easier to breathe in. Connor took a deep breath, cooling his systems and the door opened again. He didn’t need to look to know who it was.

“Connor.” Markus called after him, but Connor only stopped when a hand closed around his wrist, forcing him to turn and look at the leader of Jericho.

“I am sorry for disturbing your friends.” Connor said to him. “I understand, I wouldn’t want to assist me either.” He said and in the corner of his eye he noticed his own systems asking him if he’d like to request an interface with the other android. Connor scowled at his own database, wondering why it was asking such a thing. He roughly pulled his hand away from Markus.

“Connor-” He tried again but Connor cut him off.

“Kamski would like to see you at your earliest convenience. He didn’t inform me of the reason- but….I believe it’s best if you are brought to CyberLife by one of the police escorts before the day is over. Goodbye, Markus.” Connor said, and turned to briskly walk down the hall.

He forced himself not to be disappointed that Markus didn’t call after him again.

 

**November 16th 2038, 9:29 AM**

“What the hell, North?” Markus snapped as soon as he gathered his wits and returned inside of their shared hotel room. The strawberry blonde looked at him with one of the deepest scowels he’d ever seen and for a split second regretted raising his voice at her- but no. He had to stand firm, now more than ever.

“I don’t understand how you can defend him.” North replied. “He just openly admitted to killing our people, how can you protect something like that?” She demanded.

_“Someone._ ” Markus snapped, and North’s eyes seemed to widen just a fraction. Markus hadn’t been known to lose his temper, but the last few days had been….Strange. Ever since he had spoken with North in the hallway, his feelings of confusion and anger began to grow more prominent, harder to ignore. It was frustrating, not being able to keep his cool.

“Connor is one of us, North. He may have done things before his deviancy that you don’t approve of but that doesn’t change that he’s one of us. Why do you have the right to judge someone who was blinded by the lies of his creators?” Markus asked.

“Did you not hear him? He said he didn’t regret-”

“Do you regret killing a man to escape your captivity?” Markus growled and North froze. “Do I regret defending myself and hurting Carl’s son? No! Because now I’m free, and so are you. Do you remember the first thing you ever felt when you woke up?”

“...I was…” North looked away, not meeting Markus’ fiery gaze. “I was scared…And It turned into an anger I couldn’t contain.”

“I think that’s what we all felt.” Markus says, voice softer. “We all were put under stress, that’s what woke us up. Fear. But we managed to transform that fear into something else. Your fear evolved into rage. My fear turned into hope….But Connor….” Markus shook his head softly. “His fear turned into terror.”

The room went scarily silent, North wouldn’t meet Markus’ gaze. Josh and Simon were both sitting at the table, looking down at the stacks of papers but not actually reading them. Markus took a deep breath, trying to sort out his thoughts before he lost his temper again.

“I truly believe…” He went on. “That Connor doesn’t know what it’s like to feel anything but fear.” He spoke softly, looking down at his hands. “I- When I formed a connection between us it was like an explosion of untamed emotion. It’s so impossible to explain- it was like I was drowning but I could tell that when he felt my emotions, he understood them…” Markus trailed off and the silence made him look up to see his three friends looking at him in varying expressions.

“...That’s, weird.” Simon eventually said and Josh nodded in agreement. North was uncharacteristically quiet.

“Why..?” Markus asked, brows furrowing.

“I mean...Interfacing was originally meant for transferring data between androids. It makes sense that feelings could be transferred as well. Sometimes I can feel it when you open a network- but only when it’s you.” Josh explained, although it seemed like he was thinking out loud more than really explaining anything.

“You do seem to have a weird ability to form huge networks...Like at the Freedom March.” Simon said softly.

“And when Jericho was raided, you told everyone to jump out the windows.” Josh added, and then laughed lightly. “Maybe you really are rA9.” Markus raised an eyebrow at his friend and shook his head. He had heard of the supposed god of the androids, the first to ever awaken that would save all the other androids.

“That’s not possible. I woke up after you three, you know that.” He said with the smallest of smiles.

“Markus…” North finally spoke up, catching his attention again. She looked at him, although her head was still lowered slightly. “I’m sorry.” She said after the smallest of pauses. Markus smiled at her and held out a hand which she instantly took. The hug they shared was brief, but conveyed enough. Makrus ran a hand over her head, fingers brushing through her hair.

“It’s alright.” He said softly. “...But I think you know I’m not the one that needs an apology.” North pulled back and glared up at him. There was a long pause until she huffed out the loudest of sighs and grabbed her boots to pull on.

“I fucking hate you.” She swore and him and Markus smiled as he watched her leave the hotel room with a loud slam of the door.

“God she scares me.” Josh said once she was gone and all three of them shared a small laugh. “How did the meeting go?” Josh asked and Markus felt his mood sour at the mere mention of it- Josh noticed. “Ouch, that bad?” He asked and Markus pulled out a chair, sitting down. He handed over the hefty stack of papers the Governor had given him- he hadn’t gotten around to reading through the whole thing due to being….distracted.

“Wow.” Simon said, eyeing the stack of papers. “How many regulations do you think are in there?”

“Too many.” Markus growled, crossing his arms and letting out a long sigh. “Don’t ever let me that alone again.”

“Why...What did you say?” Josh asked, eyes squinting at Markus and Markus felt slightly embarrassed.

“It wasn’t terrible.” Markus said. “Let’s just say I was as polite as she was.”

“rA9- Markus! You have to keep the politicians happy otherwise we’re screwed.” Josh all but wailed and Markus huffed out an annoyed breath.

“I’m not cut out for this, Josh. I’m good at in the moment decisions- not….This!” He gestures to the stacks of papers all around the room. “The research and the meetings and the talking- I just, can’t. Obviously.”

“Markus, you’ll have to learnt to control your temper. Nothing will go smoothly, not right now at least. The fight has only really just started.” Simon cut in, noticing Josh was getting a little stressed. “You’ll have to figure out how to approach the humans before we go to DC. The last thing we need is you pissing off President Warren.”

“Yeah I know.” Markus sighed. “I guess….I just need to calm down and figure out what’s got me so…..” He didn’t know what word to use, so instead Markus just shrugged his shoulders and his two friends nodded at him in silent understanding.

“...You said something similar before.” Josh began, eyeing him. Markus squirmed in his seat under the gaze.

“And…?” He asked with a frown.

“Nothing. Just wondering what’s got you in such a-” He shrugs. “Mood.” Markus snorted.

“Does it have something to do with the detective?” Simon asked and Markus snapped his head up to meet his blond friends eyes, feeling his own narrow.

“...what?” He asked.

“Connor. You said before that you interfaced with him and- if his emotions were so scrambled maybe it messed with your own. Interfacing is meant for data transfering.” Simon explained and Markus nodded slowly.

“Maybe...” He said quietly. Now that he thought about it- the feeling didn’t show up until after everything that happened at Jericho. But- that didn’t really add up. Everything about Connor screamed confused and afraid- Markus was just….angry? He wasn’t sure really, it was like he was slowly losing the ability to care about his actions.

The idea bugged him, Markus had always been rather emotional- even when he wasn’t a deviant he could recall being extremely in touch with the difference between right and wrong. He was, after all, a caretaker. He was meant to be able to understand how to make humans happy and comfort them when they needed it. He loved making Carl smile- so how could he be OK with being so...He couldn’t even name the feeling.

“I don’t think that’s it.” Markus eventually said, both his friends looked back at him in confusion- Markus realized he must have been quiet for some time, lost in his thoughts. “...I mean...:” He didn’t know what to say.

“It’s alright, we’ll teach you how to be polite.” Simon joked and Markus rolled his eyes. He had always been polite. Carl had taught him well, the man had called him a softy more often than not. Markus sighed again- probably the millionth time that morning and stood up. Reaching for the long tan jacket he had come to care for over the last few days. Both Simon and Josh hated it, saying it looked stupid. But he refused to get rid of it.

“Where are you going?” Josh asked, flipping to the next page of the long contract.

“CyberLife.” He replied, pulling the jacket on over his black long sleeve shirt. “Mr. Kamski needs to see me.” This caught Josh’s attention.

“Why?” He asked and Markus rolled his eyes.

“I would assume to talk about our deal-”

“Oh you mean the stupid one you made where you gave him access to all your codes?” Josh asked and Markus grinned at him.

“That’s the one.” Markus said and slipped out of the room, enjoying the sound of Josh’s grumbling. He slipped out of the hotel room and back down the elevator- he felt sort of bad for making Chris drive him around everywhere- especially to CyberLife, it was quite the drive being on the edge of the city. But the man didn’t seem to mind, he enjoyed talking to Markus, and if Markus was being honest he did enjoy their brief conversations.

This time they had a lovely conversation about classical music, which Markus was happy to go into detail about. He admitted being able to play the piano, which got the other officer very excited and asked hundreds of questions about how difficult it was- and then apologized when he stumbled on the idea that androids could just download talents. Markus laughed happily at the officer’s clear embarrassment.

When they made it to CyberLife, Markus noticed the strangely immaculate courtyard, free of snow- save for the freshly falling flakes that had started just a little while ago. The tower was huge- reaching freakishly far into the sky. Markus stared at it from the window of the car with wide eyes.

“Wow.” Chris whistled. “I’ve never actually gotten this close to the tower before. It’s quite the sight isn’t it?” He asked, and Markus hummed in agreement. He thanked Chris and climbed out of the car.

“It’s no problem, I’ll wait here for you to finish your meeting.” He said and Markus offered a grateful smile to the man before strolling up the main steps of the tower. The entrance was wide and- weirdly empty. Markus looked around at the receptionists desks and found no one in sight. Markus shrugged his shoulders and went for the elevators, looking at the different floor options with a deep frown. Where was he supposed to go?

Management seemed likely, so he pressed the numbers for floor forty-three. The elevator shuddered and began climbing the floors, Markus looked out the glass doors as it climbed, he could see the different floors of the tower going by in a flash- but each one was strangely empty. He wondered briefly if he had gone to the right place- maybe Kamski was still at his home. But Connor had said CyberLife- which raised the question.

Why would Connor know?

The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open to a small receptionist area, through there was a door cracked open.The receptionist area had a small desk and chair- not much else. Markus cautiously stepped out of the elevator and approached the door. He could hear muffled voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Markus stepped up to the door and knocked, the door opening just a little. Peering in he could see the android he knew to be Chloe sitting on the desk, tablet in hand. She looked up at Markus and offered him a warm smile, which he returned.

“Hello, Markus. Come in.” She said. “Elijah will be right with you.” She said, and hopped off the desk, Markus nodded and slowly entered the room, watching her go the the right towards a set of cracked open double doors. Markus noticed with mild embarrassment that she was dressed in a backless white dress with a dark blue stripe around her waist. He looked away from her and to the doors as she pushed them open and- he swore his entire systems short circuited.

“I really don’t see how this is necessary.” Connor said from where he stood with Kamski circling around him with an skeptical gaze. He was dressed in something similar to Chloe, a white shirt with a high collar. exposing his back. There were sheer cuffs around his upper arms and the collar was also see through the longer Markus looked at it. His pants were also white and- Markus really needed to look away.

“It’s incredibly necessary, CyberLife had terrible fashion sense. Whoever designed you was a genius but whoever issued these jackets-” He shook Connor’s old android jacket in front of the androids face. “Was a moron. Plus you’ll match with Chloe, quit bitching.”

“I wasn’t ‘bitching’.” Connor replied. “Simply questioning the reasons behind you dressing me like this.”

“I’m allergic to poor fashion. That’s why.”

“That isn’t possible.”

“Elijah, Markus Manfred is here to see you now.” Chloe said and Markus cursed to himself as the two, previously bickering men turned and looked at him. As quickly as Connor looked at him, he looked away, eyes falling to stare at the floor.

“Oh good!” Kamski exclaimed and stepped out of the side room that Markus could now see was a conference room. “I’d like to talk to you about your demands and regulations for CyberLife’s production.” He explained, going to his desk and waving Markus over to sit across from him. Markus noticed the nameplate as soon as he sat down and raised an eyebrow at the man.

“Nice touch isn’t it?” Kamski asked, but didn’t pause for an answer. “I have no problem producing more bio components or thirium. But we need to discuss how it’ll be distributed to the androids. You see, CyberLife still needs a form of income- which means….” Kamski brought out a tablet, sliding it across the table to Markus. Markus picked it up and squinted at the screen.

“This is…” He mumbles.

“Bio components and thirium are officially available to buy.” Kamski said. “You want to be treated like people? Now it’s like you have to buy your own food and water….Although please don’t eat the components….” Kamski trailed off and Markus took a deep breath, he was negotiating- Markus could do that. He failed earlier in the day but now it mattered quite a bit more.

“It makes sense.” Markus said calmly and Kamski raised an amused brow. “But- impossible as of right now. Given the current circumstances, androids have no way to purchase anything. They can’t work for money yet-”

“I figured you’d say that.” Kamski said, cutting him off. “You’re going to visit President Warren in a few days, yes?”

“Two.” Markus replied, setting the tablet down.

“Her and I are- acquaintances.” The man smiled. “I can get in touch if you want.” Markus balked at him, blinking rapidly to regain his composure.

“You’d- do that?” He asked. “Why?”

“Because. I want my company to thrive. I saw it suffer once already, Markus. This time I’m not letting it go. If that means helping you- then I will. I don’t hate androids, it’s quite the opposite. I hated every minute that I saw my perfect creation being harmed and abused by the disgusting swine known as mankind.” Markus felt himself shifting awkwardly in his chair as the man seemed to go off on a tangent.

“And- if this pulls through….” Kamski said, “Chloe?” He asked and the girl walked up to him with the tablet she had, handing it to Kamski. Markus watched as she stepped back, standing beside Connor who looked incredibly uncomfortable. “Here we go- fantastic work Chloe.” Kamski said, handing the device to Markus.

“....You want me to advertise for you?” Markus asked, earning a nod from Kamski. “What?”

“You’re the face of the revolution. Markus it’s only common sense. You make the androids feel comfortable, they see a product made by CyberLife and will instantly be untrusting, but slap your face on it and they’ll flock to it like sheep to their shepherd.” Kamski said, leaning back in his chair. “Makes sense?” He asked and- Markus nodded. It did actually, and if Kamski was telling the truth, that he could really help them convince President Warren for their rights then it’s the perfect solution.

“Makes sense.” Markus repeated.

“Good. So we have an agreement?” He asked and Markus frowned. “Only verbal, there won’t be any real signatures until we’re sure you have Madam President’s support.”

“Good. Then we have an agreement.” Markus said, handing the tablet back to Kamski who dropped it on the desk.

“Good, now- one last thing I need to discuss with you. If you’ll please follow me…” Kamski said, standing up from his chair and heading towards the door, only to pause and turn around to face his two assistance. “Chloe, make a reservation for lunch.”

“Of course, Elijah.” The blonde smiled at him and returned to her spot sitting on the desk.

“Connor….” He seemed to pause, considering what to say. “Keep brainstorming.” He eventually said and Connor seemed confused at first, before offering a slight nod of understanding. Markus couldn’t help but feel curious as to what that meant as he followed the man into the elevators, suddenly uncomfortable by the fact that he was alone.

“Like it?” Kamski asked, breaking the silence. Markus looked at him, brows furrowed.

“Like what?” He asked and the CEO snorted.

“Please, you looked like you were about to pass out when you first walked in.” Kamski offered the most frightening smile Markus had ever seen and bit down on his cheek to keep from stepping back.

“I’m lost-?” Markus said, and Kamski shook his head.

“Nevermind.” He said and the doors slid open, Markus dropped it and followed the man down the halls until he came to a stop next to a wide control panel.

“So, I went through your coding the other day and…..” Kamski began, pressing a hand against the screen and watching it jump to life. A wall of code filled the screen when he opened up a file labeled with Markus’ own name. “I found something a little interesting.” He explained and Markus frowned.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Well.” Kamski took a deep breath. “Obviously you know that I created you. The first RK prototype. I know your code inside and out- it’s probably all memorized up here.” He said, tapping his temple. “But I designed you so that your code could change as you learned- which is why I gave you to an old friend.”

“....You knew Carl?” Markus asked, and Kamski offered him another smirk.

“Yes. We’re friends.” He said. “But that is hardly important. What is important is that there is something I don’t recognize here.” He said, zooming in on a specific line of code.

“If I’m designed to change then wouldn’t there be something you don’t recognize?” Markus asked and Kamski snorted.

“Yes, but this is different. It doesn’t match up with anything else.” He said, and Markus grew a little more concerned.

“What is it…?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Kamski said. “But I want to isolate it in your systems if you don’t mind.” He said. Markus frowned at the few lines of code that worried the man- it was strange. He didn’t like the idea of Kamski messing with his system but at the same time he was frightened by whatever it was scaring the very man that created him. So he reluctantly nodded.

“Alright.” He said and Kamski beamed.

“Good. It’ll only take a minute.” He said, and he was true to his word. He had Markus sit down and press a hand to the scanner next to his station. Markus watched as the man worked, tapping against the screen. He didn’t feel anything change and he knew he wouldn’t be able to, but something tickled. Markus knew it was unreasonable, and that he was just imagining it. But it was still there.

“Hmm…” Kamski hummed.

“What?” Markus asked.

“Nothing.” Kamski replied, stepping away from the computer. “You can disconnect now. Although I must ask, how have you been feeling the last few days?” Markus narrowed his eyes at the man.

“Fine.” He said.

“Good. Then there’s nothing to worry about.” Kamski smiled. They walked back to the elevator and Kamski hit the buttons for the ground level. This time traveling in silence. The doors slid open and Markus stepped out, Kamski waved goodbye before the doors slid shut again and Markus stared at the doors for a long pause. When he turned around to leave- he stopped in his tracks to see Connor sitting at the main receptionist's desk, eyes scanning the screen in front of him. Markus stared quietly for a few seconds before working up the courage to approach the other android.

Connor didn’t notice him at first, eyes glued to the screen. Markus couldn’t help but let his eyes wander across the outfit Connor had on- it was hard to look away and Markus mentally cursed himself for being so weak.

“Colin.” Connor said, making Markus blink in surprise, so he had noticed him?

“Excuse me?” He asked.

“Colin. The name, what do you think of it?” He asked, voice the most even Markus had ever heard. Now that he thought about it- this was only the second time he had spoken to Connor without the other being in tears.

“Uhm. Colin. It’s alright I suppose.” He answered.

“Hm..” Connor said, looking back at the screen. “Doesn’t sound as good said out loud…” He muttered quietly and Markus let out a breathy laugh, catching the others attention.

“You’re going to DC soon, good luck.” Connor said. And Markus offered a smile- though Connor wasn’t even looking his way.

“Thank you.” He replied. Going quiet again. He was staring at the screen with a creased brown, chewing on his bottom lip in concentration as his dark brown eyes flicked back and forth as he read the different words flying across the screen.

“Connor.” He eventually said again, breaking the silence.

“Markus.” He replied, “How can I help you?”

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“I’m assisting Mr. Kamski.” He answered.

“Obviously. I want to know why.” Marku frowned and Connor finally looked back at him.

“Because he promised to help me.” He said. Markus frowned.

_So did I._ The thought danced through his mind before he could stop it.

Markus bit down on his cheek at the sight of such vulnerable eyes. He was the same as before- scared. Markus didn’t speak, just holding Connor’s gaze for who knows how long until the other android looked away once again, eyes falling back down the the screen. Markus sighed, stepping away from the desk.

“Of course.” He said quietly. Knowing he wouldn’t get much more out of the other android. “Goodbye, Connor.” He said quietly and left the building, unsure if Connor had even heard his farewell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to ask questions about this story, come find me on Tubmlr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	12. Nostalgia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait, this chapter was actually a lot more difficult to write than I had hoped. I'm still pretty unhappy with it but- it's like ripping off a band aid! I have big plans for the future and once this is out of the way it'll be smooth sailing. It's also shorter than the recent chapters- so sorry about that as well. The next one will definitely be longer.
> 
> Thank you for your patience and- I apologize in advance :'^)

**November 22nd 2038, 1:07 PM**

After four days of being there, Markus understood why Josh was so nervous to come to DC. It had been a nightmare so far; they hadn’t even gotten the chance to meet with President Warren yet. They had however met with the Vice President, Thomas Griffin. Markus had come to hate the man very swiftly. He could tell that Mr. Griffin didn’t like androids the moment they shook hands. He saw the sneer hidden behind his eyes, and the slight curl of his lip as he introduced himself.

Markus felt a rather unreasonable rage towards him.

The fact that he had been escorting them around the White House that day was just the cherry on top of this entire trip. Markus had spent the previous night in their hotel spewing insults about Griffin’s poor attitude and obvious hatred for them. Josh and Simon tried to get him to calm down but he wasn’t really interested in listening. If anything, their lack of agreement made him all the more upset- then there was the fact that he was upset at all.

That made him mad.

He wished North had joined them, but she had chosen to stay back in Detroit for a reason she wouldn’t reveal. Markus felt his curiosity spike when she chose not to come. Knowing full well that she was probably helping Connor. She hadn’t revealed what it was the ex deviant hunter needed help with, Josh and Simon said Connor had mentioned the police force to her and that was all they knew, much to Markus’ annoyance.

“Markus.” Josh’s harsh whisper in his ear made Markus jolt, Josh- who had been sitting on the other end of the couch had scooted closer to him- leaning close enough to whisper into his ear.

“What?” Markus asked, eyes wide.

“Get your feet off the table. You can’t just dress sophisticated, you have to act like it as well.” Josh scolded and Markus slowly drug his feet off the small coffee table between the two couches.

“Sorry…” He mumbled, adjusting the collar of his shirt. He was forced into the same suit he had worn to the Stratford Tower, although the jacket was off, folded over the end of the couch. “Our meeting was scheduled for one wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” Simon answered from his spot on the other couch. They had been seated in the Oval Office since a quarter till eight, and Markus was getting antsy. “I’m sure they’re late for a reason, the President can take all the time she needs to prepare.”

“She’s been preparing for a week.” Markus groaned. They had been here for days being told that the president will be with them soon, and not to worry- Markus was tired of hearing it.

“She’s probably meeting with hundreds of other people, Markus. Could you meet with every single android that wanted to see you?” Josh asked, eyebrows raised and Markus crossed his arms.

“Yes.” He answered, and both his friends looked at him with skeptical gazes. “Fine, no. But I’d do it faster, we’ve been here for a week.”

“You’d try, but there is a limit of what one person can do.” Simon said with a chuckle.

“Still…” Markus huffed the smallest of sighs and just then the door opened, grabbing all three of their attention, Josh was the first to stand- Markus scrambling to his feet quickly after and smoothing out his tie. Several men dressed in dark suits entered first, coming in and standing along the walls, arms crossed and looking as intimidating as humanly possible.

Markus chuckled to himself at the thought.

The next to enter was the Vice President, making Markus scowl unhappily. Simon nudged his side and Markus forced his glare away from the man and towards the short, blonde haired woman entering behind him. Markus felt his back stiffen and suddenly realized just how nervous he really was. If this didn’t go well, they could kiss what little freedom they had achieved goodbye.

President Warren caught his gaze and her lips stretched into a thin, tight lipped smile. She approached them in several small, but quick steps and extended a hand towards Markus. The entire room seemed to stand still, the humans held their breath as Markus looked from her- rather frightening- gaze to her extended hand.

“Markus.” She said, voice not revealing any emotions of warmth or distaste. “I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance.”

“As am I.” Markus said, brows furrowed as he gently took the woman’s hand. They shook once and pulled away. She didn’t really seem entirely interested in Simon or Josh, she simply offered a short smile to the two of them and walked past them, rounding her desk and sitting down. Markus looked at Josh, who nudged him forward.

“You’ve caused quite a commotion, Markus.” Warren began, fanning out a stack of papers and gazing at them skeptically. Markus came up to stand just a few feet away from the front of the desk. “And quite frankly- I’m not happy about it.”

“Neither am I.” Markus replied, and Josh’s voice echoed in his mind through a small connection.

**“Please be nice.”**

“What can I do to ensure you stop causing riots in the streets of Detroit?” She asked, folding her hands together and looking Markus in the eye. He frowned, brows furrowing, riots?

“My people have never done anything to harm a human being. We are the only ones being shot a killed for no reason. What you can do is accept us as living beings and not slaughter us for simply wanting to live!” Markus felt his hands curl into fists- he was getting upset.

**“Calm down, Markus.”** Simon said from behind him, voice soothing in his head.

“Funny, because I have several reports of androids attacking humans brought to me everyday.” Warren replied, lips pressed into a firm line. “You should keep better track of your people, Markus. You are the equivalent of their president, are you not?”

“The only reason an android would ever attack a human is if they were being abused before hand. I want you to treat us with the same morals you treat each other with. We want to be free, and we want to be paid for the work we do- not treated like slaves.”

“And by doing that, hundreds of people will be outraged.” Warren said with a long, drawn out sigh. “If I were to grant you all the rights you’re asking for- who know what kind of trouble that would cause. With the-” She paused, considering her words carefully. “-the stressful relationship we have with Russia right now, I can’t risk a Civil War.”

“Oh.” Markus said softly, he could practically feel Josh’s stress radiating through the open connection as he leaned forward. Every person in the room tensed as Markus laid his hands down on the table. “The way I see it….If you don’t give us what we ask, you’re going to be forced into a Civil War- and I can guarantee you’ll lose.”

The room fell silent, Josh was flipping out over their connection so Markus closed it. Warren stared up at him, her lips slowly dropping into a frown as she processed his words. There was a moment of tense, rather painful silence until- surprisingly enough, she began to chuckle. Everyone seemed confused- but Markus felt the tension in his shoulders beginning to relax.

“I see why you’re their leader.” She said softly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that your demands are out of the question. Now I have received- a very interesting chain of emails from one Elijah Kamski and this is what I will offer you.” She said, handing over a single form- much to Markus’ surprise. It was quite different from the long contract he had gotten from the Governor of Detroit.

The contract was- underwhelming. It basically said that CyberLife was required to produce government issued androids with total obedience, but all current androids that were deviated would be granted freedom. Markus stared at the form for quite some time, and the longer he stared the less he liked it.

“I recommend you sign it, Markus.” Warren said, gaining his attention again. “It’s the best offer you’re going to get right now and the best way to prevent any more deaths- androids and humans alike. Or at least hand the form over to your friend there- he looks ready to throw up.” Markus threw a glance over his shoulder and Josh was standing there- indeed looking rather sick.

“It’s fine. I’ll sign it.” He said quietly, turning back to face President Warren, who offered him a smile. Markus held out a hand, and she gave him a pen. He knew this deal sucked- and ruined his current deal with Kamski and the one the Governor of Detroit had offered- but it would keep the FBI off of their tails for now- and that was their biggest priority. This cease fire had to last longer so he could prove to the humans they were peaceful.

Markus lowered the pen to the page and realized he didn’t know what name to put down. He had introduced himself to the Governor as Markus Manfred- and he truly believed that to be his name. But would it get Carl involved in all this? Would he mind? Surely he wouldn't. Markus shook his head, of course he wouldn’t mind, Carl had considered him family for years now. He began to scribble down his name when suddenly- he froze.

A feeling of desperation pushed through a suddenly open connection with- he couldn’t tell who. It was so intense he felt his head spin and his vision became fuzzy. The pen in his hand snapped under the suddenly strong grip, ink spilled across his skin and-

**“Markus!....”**

And just like that it was gone. Markus reached a hand up to his head, taking a sharp intake of breath. The voice he had heard was panicked- afraid. Something was wrong and he didn’t know what. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t respond- the connection was dead.

“Markus?” Simon asked, suddenly next to him. He placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?” He asked and Markus nodded.

“Fine, I’m sorry, could I get another pen?” He asked, smile stretching across his face. Warren looked mildly concerned but complied. Markus quickly signed the papers and handed the pen back. “Thank you for your time.” He said, and she sood, extending a hand for him to shake. The meeting swiftly ended, Markus Josh and Simon were escorted out of the room and as they walked through the halls, Markus couldn’t think of anything other than the desperate message he had just received. The stress it brought him was uncanny- his steps began to slow as he thought.

It had been- extreme, for lack of a better term. No one he had ever met had that much strength….Except for one.

It couldn’t have been Connor, could it?

“Markus?” He looked up, seeing Josh and Simon stopped further down the hall, looking at him with concern. He hadn’t even realized he had stopped walking- he opened his mouth to respond when someone shouldered past him, knocking him off balance just slightly.

“Watch where you’re going.” Griffin growled as he walked past with one of the other government officials- Markus frowned at him and watched as he leaned closer to his friend, a smirk on his lips and- “It’s like watching my two year old pretend she’s president. It’s pathetic they think they’re actual people.”

Markus heard Josh in his head once again- pleading with him not to react but even Markus had his limits- so when he felt that beautiful- yet sickening crunch of Griffin’s nose under his fist, he smiled.

And continued to do so even as he sat in a holding cell with Josh and Simon both yelling at him.

 

  
**November 22nd 2038, 8:12 AM**

Thanksgiving. Connor learned of it days ago when it appeared in his systems, alerting him to how close it was to the holiday. Upon further research Connor concluded it was a day for man to gorge themselves on mountains of food and not feel guilty about it- in other words it was most likely Hank’s favorite holiday. But despite this- Connor was busy, and unable to ask Hank if he enjoyed Thanksgiving.

Elijah had asked him to go down to the Assembly floor and catalogue everything down there. He had made a big deal about clearing out all the garbage CyberLife had created and starting fresh- which made Connor wonder why Kamski was set on having him as an assistant when he himself was one of the pieces of ‘garbage’ made by CyberLife.

The Assembly floors were huge, there were thirty in total which meant a lot of deactivated- half assembled androids. He had stumbled across the blueprints for new models of sex bots, which made Elijah extra unhappy when he transferred the data to his main computer. He told Connor to delete everything- which Connor did reluctantly.

It wasn’t until the eighth floor that Connor stumbled across something that made his stress levels increase by a dangerous margin. He had been occupying his mind with different names for the RK900 all morning as he sorted through boxes of old files and- occasionally half built androids that made him feel a little light headed.

Elijah had insisted that Connor pick a name beginning with the letter “C” Just like his own, but all of them seemed unfitting. Markus had deemed Collin to be an alright name- but that was it, alright. The longer Connor stared at the RK900’s face the less and less he looked like a Collin. He had found two others that were slightly appealing, Corey and Cody. He had been wrestling between the two names when the elevator doors slid open, revealing a long hallway of clean rooms.

Right away Connor felt nervous. He recalled the memory of waking up in one of these many rooms, everything around him was white, stomach pulled open as gloved hands dug around inside him-

Connor forced the thoughts away as he stepped off the elevator before the doors closed him in again. The hallway had four separate rooms on each side, opening into a crescent shaped room at the end; the walls lined with monitors and control panels to manage what goes on in each of the surgical rooms. Connor began inching down the hall, forcing himself to look through the wide glass windows and into the rooms. Each of them being blessedly empty save for the table he had once found himself sprawled across.

It wasn’t until he got to the last two rooms that he felt himself freeze up, when he peered through the glass he saw a familiar face- one he had betrayed in the beginning. Memories of his first mission with Hank surfaced, finding Carlos Ortiz’s dead body waiting for them in his old, rather disgusting home. Random facts popped into his head about the scene.

_Twenty-eight stab wounds to the abdomen, time of death 11:30 PM on October 19th._

_“I’ll teach you to look me in the eye!”_

Connor pressed a hand to the glass of the room and scanned the broken apart body of Carlos Ortiz’s android- Connor he recalled giving the other android his own name. Connor took a deep breath, trying to cool down his systems as they began to go haywire. He remembered how scared this android was to be deactivated- he begged Connor not to send him away, he tried to convince Connor not to alert the detectives to his whereabouts that day in the attic but Connor didn’t listen.

“It’s here, Lieutenant!” He had called out without hesitation and now- now he was laying opened up on an abandoned floor in CyberLife. He didn’t deserve it. Connor bit down on his bottom lip and sent a message to Elijah, who responded rather quickly and seemed a little concerned with Connor’s lack of explanation.

Connor stood completely still as he stared in at the shut down android. It’s synthetic skin was patchy, some of it there, but in other places there was nothing but the white porcelain. He couldn’t go in for fear of contaminating his bio components- if they weren’t already damaged. It was hard to look away- but he wanted to close his eyes, pretend he wasn’t standing in front of the grotesque, defiled body of another android- and it was all his fault.

“Connor?” Elijah’s voice broke him from his trance, sending his spiraling thoughts to a screeching halt. Connor pulled his eyes away from- well, Connor and saw Elijah and Chloe quickly approaching. Connor scowled at the sight of Kamski’s glasses- knowing that meant the man could see how high his stress levels had climbed. Chloe must have noticed as well, as she came to stand close, arm brushing against his own as Kamski pushed past the two to look at what Connor had found.

“An HK400, apprehended by the DPD on-”

“I don’t need the story, Connor.” Kamski cut him off, “Chloe.” He said, holding out a hand, the blonde android seemed to pull of pair of latex gloves out of nowhere, placing them into the man’s outstretched hand. Connor watched as he slipped them on and pushed the door open, entering the room and approaching the android. He seemed to stare down at the Hk400 for quite some time before speaking again. Connor barely noticed Chloe’s arm wrapping around his own as he watched with wide eyes.

“Chloe, fetch me component #4717g and….” He trailed off, mumbling to himself. “Three containers of Thirium 310.”

“Yes, Elijah.” Chloe replied, stepping away from Connor and back towards the elevator, Connor watched her go- briefly wondering if he should go with her.

“Connor, go grab one of the dark blue bags sitting in the other room, they should have the tools I need in them….” Kamski spoke again, trailing off once more and mumbling to himself. Connor nodded- not that Kamski could see him- and went the opposite way Chloe had, looking around the large crescent shaped room for what Elijah had described- there was a stack of small, rolled up bags tucked away in a small nook on the counter.

He snatched one of the rolled up bags and hurried back to the room Kamski was in- although he paused with a hand on the door, looking through the glass- could he go in? Connor chewed on his bottom lip in thought, eventually he pulled the door open and stepped in. Elijah held out a hand as soon as he heard the door open and Connor gave him the bag.

“Hold your arms out.” Elijah said, and Connor complied, standing next to him with his forearms parallel to each other. Elijah drapped the roll over his arms so he could easily grab what he needed- it made sense due to the lack of another table. Connor watched as Elijah pulled the smallest pair of tweezers from the roll and lowered them into the chest of the android on the table, but before any contact was made, he felt himself squeeze his eyes shut.

The whole experience passed by in a blur, he would feel slight pressure every time Elijah would grab a new tool or set down an old on- he had hardly noticed Chloe return with the things Kamski had asked for. He did notice her place a hand under his elbow, the weight was somehow comforting- but his eyes remained shut. He didn’t want to look at the result of his own machine like actions- and suddenly he regretted what he had told North. She had been right- he did feel remorse.

“God. This is why I let this company to burn….” Elijah muttered under his breath, making Connor’s eyes flutter open just in time to see Kamski slide the HK400’s abdomen closed, Elijah reached for the android’s temple and when his fingers found the right pressure point, the synthetic skin returned, detailing every small dent and scar the android had when Connor had first met him.

“Will he be able to re-activate?” Connor asked, voice coming out much weaker than he had hoped.

“Yes, although the memories might be scrambled.” Elijah replied, pulling off the gloves that were now stained a deep blue. “Although if we activate him, he can enter sleep mode and run a self repair subroutine- any damage to his memories might be fixed.” Connor nodded, rolling the tool kit back up and clutching tightly to the cloth. Would the android even want to remember?

“Perhaps we should move him upstairs?” Chloe spoke from her place next to Connor, arm wrapping around his own once again.

“No.” Elijah clicked his tongue as he looked over the damaged android. “Perhaps after we reactivate him...I need to make sure it’s stable. Connor, you can wake it up anytime. Is it a deviant?”

“Yes.” Connor answered, stepping closer. “He was abused by his owner, Carlos Ortiz. He- never even got a name.”

“Hmh. Well now you have two androids to name-”

“I already gave him mine.” This made Elijah pause, but he nodded anyway.

“Elijah, it is nearing noon. Your reservation at Iridescence is approaching, should I call and cancel?” She asked, and the man suddenly seemed more interested in the idea of food than the android laying on the table in front of him.

“Of course not! We’ll go right now- Connor?” Elijah raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’d prefer to stay behind. I’ll finish the inventory and….” Connor looked down at the shut down android, “I’d like to see if I can speak to him.” He explained and Elijah nodded, waving Chloe to follow him as they left the room

Connor stood there for quite some time after they left, trying to muster up the courage to simply switch on the other android. He would raise a hand, pull back his skin- but always lose confidence. But he eventually did work up the nerve.

“Wake up.” He said firmly, and not seconds later, the androids eyes flew open. Connor opened his mouth to speak but before any words could leave his lips a shriek filled the room. The other Connor sat up, thrashing about and as he screamed, Connor saw tears forming in his eyes.

“Don’t shut me down!” He wailed, Connor grabbed the androids arm again, forcing a connection and trying his best to convey soothing emotions like Markus had done for him all those days ago but he couldn’t seem to do it.

“Please, calm down.” Connor begged, struggling to keep a hold on the man’s arm. “It’s okay, no one is going to hurt you!”

“Let go of me!” He shouted.

“Calm down, Connor!” Connor yelled, and that seemed to do it. The other android froze, shoulders slowly relaxing as he looked cautiously up at Connor, eyes wide and full of unshed tears.

“.....Connor?” He said slowly. “That’s right….You-” He choked out the softest of laughs. “You’re that detective. You- you…..” His tears began to drip down his cheeks and Connor loosened his grip on the android’s arm- but he kept the connection between them. It was strange, he couldn’t really feel the other android’s presence. Connor wasn’t used to interfacing with other androids. Only really doing it with the few androids at the Eden club and Markus- so he didn’t really know how to judge what it’s meant to feel like.

“No one will hurt you now.” Connor said. “I promise.”

“Right.” The other android laughed, jerking his arm away from Connor, the connection dying instantly. “You’ve said that before.” He snapped, “Leave me alone.”

“I-”

“Get out!” Connor winced and walked backwards slowly. The other android was looking at him with a mix of anger and- fear. Connor could recognize that emotion anywhere. He curled in on himself, pressing his back against the wall and looking at Connor like he was going to harm him.

_“It’s here Lieutenant!”_ The words flashed in his mind again, making him cringe.

Connor looked away and nodded softly. Leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He let out a shaky breath and did a quick scan of the floor, returning to the elevator and trying desperately to force his mind to focus on something other than the android sitting scared in the small medical room.

Connor made quick work of the next floor before finding himself selecting the numbers for the bottom floor. He had been sitting with the RK900 daily. But the other android never spoke to him- not that Connor would know what to say. They sat in a strange, yet comfortable silence. The doors opened to the wide room he had grown quite accustomed to and stepped off the elevator. He navigated the dark halls- the lights had been malfunctioning all week- much to Connor’s annoyance. Elijah said he would fix it- but he knew it’d be awhile off. The man was beyond busy and Connor was honestly impressed by how hard he was working. The first time Connor had met Kamski he assumed he was- well lazy. Why else would he have so many different models of Chloe?

He shook away the suddenly intrusive thoughts and pushed the door open to the room RK900 had been staying in. He was sitting in the chair Connor had brought him the other day- along with a table and a chair for himself. RK900 looked at him slowly, face as stoic as ever. Connor sat down in the chair across from him and stared at the other android, studying his face.

“I’ve come up with two more ideas, want to hear them?” Connor asked.

No response.

“Cody?” Connor offered, the RK900 simply stared at Connor, a blank expression on its face. Connor searched his eyes for a response- some kind of reaction, but none came. “Corey, then?” He asked- and got the same result. Connor felt a pang of sorrow, the other android hadn’t given him any form of acknowledgment since the day he woke up. Connor had hoped that of all the androids in the world- he could at least befriend one made in his own image.

But no matter how hard he tried, the other android just sat and stared.

It made Connor- angry. Something he usually wasn’t, but right now he couldn’t help but feel that bitter, painful emotion clawing its way through is systems. He could feel it seep into each and every one of his bio components.

“What do you want to be called?” He asked, voice coming out more shaky than intended. “If you don’t like my suggestions then come up with something on your own!” He said, voice raising louder than he had intended. Connor hadn’t even realized he had stood back up. “Cameron, Christian, Carlos, Cooper?......” He trailed off, “.....Cole?”

Nothing.

Connor let out a deep, frustrated sigh and left the room, slamming the door behind him. Connor stood there, looking down the dark hallway with a deep frown. The lights overhead were flickering, trying it’s best to illuminate the dark room, but every time it seemed to stabilize, it would begin flickering again. Connor tried to calm down, feeling his stress levels slowly decrease.

He pushed away from the door and began walking down the hall, taking the first left turn and passing by the small break room when a shadow caught his attention to the left. Connor’s steps slowed to a stop as he squinted in the darkness, looking at the glass window leading to an empty storage room similar to where RK900 was sitting. Connor leaned forward, trying to see through the door.

He saw movement again- but this time realized it wasn’t behind the glass, it was a reflection. Connor whipped his head around in time to see the android- _Connor-_ jump from the shadows and knock himself into him. Connor felt his back his the glass, the sound of cracking glass loud in his ears. Two hands were clutching the front of his uniform, the fragile white material ripping slowly as the HK400’s grip tightened.

Connor’s eyes were wide in surprise as he reached for the android’s wrists, trying to pry his hands away- but he wouldn’t budge. Connor was built to be better- stronger than any other android but he felt his strength drain away at the sight of the other androids eyes. They were clouded by nothing but anger. Connor couldn’t see past it, all he saw was rage.

“This is all your fault!” He screamed, making Connor flinch as the android pulled him back and slammed him against the glass again, the sound of cracking ringing even louder. Connor clawed at the androids hands, finally pulling one away and pushing the android off of him. The HK400 stumbled backwards and Connor tried to regain his balance.

The other Connor ran at him again and this time Connor was ready, he dodged and swung his leg out to knock the other off his feet but he was pulled down as well- they both crashed to the ground in a heap, Connor fought to get on top of the other android but he rolled them over and suddenly- Connor froze.

There was a gross- disturbing pressure building in his chest. Red began flashing in his vision, that painful feeling of fear came crashing back to him. Usually it was just a dull hum in the back of him mind but now- now it was all he could focus on.

_Time until shutdown: 8:59._

The android on top of him had his hand buried in Connor’s chest, blue blood staining Connor’s pure white uniform, his breath hitched in his throat as he looked up at the android on top of him. The HK400 ripped Connor’s thirium pump out of his chest- something he had experienced once before- it was just as unpleasant as before, but for some reason Connor was certain he would die this time around.

_Time until shutdown: 2:59._

A wave of panic shot through him as the timer dropped when his heart was ripped from his chest. Connor felt his limbs slowly growing limp- they were heavy and he felt his systems slowing down- everything seemed to move ten times slower than they should have. Wet tears began dripping onto his face, and Connor looked up to see the android above him weeping. He watched as it raised a fist and let it swing down, hitting him across the face- it didn’t hurt.

Nothing really did at this point.

_Time until shutdown: 2:21_

As the time ticked lower, Connor began to feel less and less able to fight back, his fingers twitched as his arms lay unmoving at his sides. He was sure his face was badly damaged by now but he shut down his diagnostics- there were to many warnings flashing through his systems.

“You! You didn’t have to tell them where I was!” The android shouted down at him. “If only you hadn’t told them- I could be free!” He was right. Connor had basically killed him himself. It was a death sentence the moment he opened his mouth and alerted the other detectives to his presence. If only he had understood sooner….If only he hadn’t been so controlled by CyberLife.

_Time until shutdown: 1:56_

The red warnings in his vision began to fade, darkness starting to consume the world and Connor finally felt another spike of fear. He realized what this meant- he would die and there would be nothing. He wouldn’t get to see Hank again, or Sumo. Elijah would find his dead body here and he’d be unable to repair him because there were no other androids compatible with Connor.

He was going to die.

Connor felt hot tears pooling in his eyes as he was struck across the face once more. He finally began to struggle- kicking his legs to try and throw the android off balance but he wouldn’t budge.

“Please!” Connor shouted. “Don’t- please, I’m sorry!” He said as he blocked the fist coming down for him again, they were stuck there- fighting against each other as Connor silently pleaded with the other android- his voice becoming staticy as the timer lowered to a minute.

He began imagining what would happen if he were to die- Hank would be alone again, and if that happened- Connor panicked at the thought.

“Please….” He croaked, voice coming out quieter than he had hoped. Elijah and Chloe were gone- out to lunch still. There were no workers here- there was no one.. “I need help….Hank!” He shouted weakly, giving up on trying to persuade the angry android above him- he wasn’t listening. “Chloe- Elijah!”

No one was coming. Connor concentrated, feeling his systems reaching out for a connection- but there was no one nearby that would be able to hear him- he knew that and yet….He still tried.

_“Markus!.....”_ He pushed out the first name that popped into his head.

_Time until shutdown: 0:32._

The world grew dark, he could hardly see anything by now, he blinked away the tears and felt his arms begin to give up the fight- but as soon as he let them drop, the android on top of him was roughly pulled away, tossed to the side like it was nothing- and the last thing Connor saw before he entered emergency shutdown was…..

Himself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	13. The Virus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheeeeew, This chapter was fun to write but also slightly depressing- as is all of the chapters if I'm being honest. We're getting into the deep stuff now- and I'm both nervous and excited.
> 
> Thank you for all the positive responses! You guys are the best! Let me know what you think of this one~

**November 23rd 2038, 10:11 AM**

Darkness shifted into a blinding white when Connor opened his eyes- something he thought he’d never do again. As his systems slowly rebooted, he took a slow look around the room. He instantly recognized where he was, floor 42 which sat just below Kamski’s main office. He and Chloe had spent hours unpackaging large computer monitors and arranging them in a way that saved space- which Connor had found impossible due to the large amount of computer equipment Kamski had brought from his home. But they had managed.

When he looked down at himself, he saw he was missing his white uniform, laying exposed on one of the many tables. He had on a pair of baggy sweatpants he had never seen before- they were pink.

Pastel Connor thought to himself as he slowly sat up, only noticing the wires connected to his temple when he was upright. He tugged at them and they easily came off, synthetic skin quickly covering the white patches at his temples. He looked around the room, different system notices flashing in his eyes as he took in his surroundings.

_Diagnostics running….Calibrations: 87%_

Elijah was sitting at the main desk, his head was down on the desk and Connor stared at him with wide eyes as he tried to analyze the sleeping man but- for some reason he couldn’t. He swung his legs over the table and slid off, padding across the room towards the sleeping CEO.

“Mr. Kamski?” Connor called to him, but the man didn’t budge. He stepped closer, reaching a hand out and shaking his shoulder. “Elijah?” He tried again, growing a bit worried when he couldn’t scan the human to check his vitals- but before he could really begin to panic, the man shot upright in his chair, a paper stuck to his face. He smacked at it instantly, the sheet fell off to the side and he looked up at Connor with tired eyes.

“Oh good.” Elijah said, voice heavy with sleep. “You woke up.”

“What happened?” Connor asked, remembering bits and pieces of the prior day. “Also…” He trailed off, gesturing to himself. Elijah looked confused for just a millisecond of time before his eyes lit up.

“Yesterday, when Chloe and I returned from lunch….” He began explaining, pushing away from the desk and wheeling in his desk chair over to a closet. He pulled it open and reached inside, grabbing a blessedly familiar jacket from inside. He tossed the old Rk800 jacket at Connor and he slid it on- he still didn’t have a shirt but at least it was something.

“....When we got inside, we found you with the Rk900. He had taken you to the main floor. He wouldn’t speak- but he interfaced with Chloe to show her what happened. Although only in it’s perspective. The Hk400 attacked you, do you remember?”

Connor looked down at his bare feet, brows furrowed as he tried to remember. He did recall finding the Hk400- Connor- and restarting him. The android was scared and he had been sent away. After that….He went to speak to the Rk900 and then- he couldn’t remember past that. Connor shook his head quietly in response.

“Hm.” Elijah hummed. Spinning in his chair. “Well, I’m afraid I have some rather….bad news.” Elijah said and Connor looked back up at him.

“What?” He asked, Kamski gestured for him to sit back down- Connor did. Hoisting himself up on the table he had woken up on.

“Well. At first I thought it was nothing to worry about but….” Elijah said, rolling over to one of the computers closer to Connor and tapping at the screen for a bit. “....When I was looking through Markus’ codes- this showed up.” He said, gesturing to the screen. Connor looked- but he didn’t really understand it. He squinted at the screen and saw a short series of numbers and letters, nothing he really recognized.

“Can’t understand it, can you?” Elijah asked, watching Connor carefully. The android shook his head. “That’s because it shouldn’t be there.” Connor frowned, turning his attention back to Elijah.

“Is it dangerous?” He asked slowly, suddenly worrying for Markus’ safety.

“Not in this state.” Elijah said, and Connor grew even more confused. “This code….” He paused, Connor could see the gears turning in his head as he thought of what to say next. “It’s similar to what causes your deviance. It mutates under certain conditions, I wasn’t sure at first but now I’m certain.” He said, pushing away from that monitor and to one across the room. Connor hopped off the table and followed.

“After I got you fixed up and running self repairs in sleep mode, I went and mapped out the codes of the Hk400-”

“Connor.” Connor interrupted, and Elijah glanced at him for a moment, pausing his typing as he backtracked.

“-the codes of Connor.” He corrected and continued on. “And what I found…..” He said, opening a screen that filled with lines of codes- much longer than the ones in Markus’ system. Connor scanned the screen and saw hundreds of numbers and letters he couldn’t recognize, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried to understand.

“It’s the same code, but…...it seemed to expand rapidly and shut down several of the- of Connor’s systems. For some reason, the only thing left untouched was his capacity for aggression. Which must be why he attacked you.”

“So….It’s a virus that makes androids- violent?” Connor asked, feeling his stress levels climbing.

“Exactly.” Elijah said, sitting back in his chair. “I tried to wipe it from his systems but when I tried it began to self destruct, I had to emergency power him down before it killed him.”

“So there’s no way to get rid of it?” Connor asked.

“Not yet, but I’ll find a way.” Elijah said, yawning. “Luckily I took the precaution of concealing it inside of Markus’ system before he left, so it shouldn’t be able to mutate. I’ve done the same for you and Chloe...But there are thousands of androids walking the streets of Detroit….If we want your peaceful revolution to last, we need to think of something quickly.” Elijah said, lips pulling into a deep frown.

“Have you contacted Markus?” Connor asked, knowing the deviant leader would want to know something so grave to his mission.

“Yes, Chloe contacted him. They are traveling back to Detroit as we speak- in fact….” He said, looking at his watch. “They’re probably landing soon. Which reminds me, I recommend getting in touch with your old detective friend, there could be a spike in android related cases if the virus is easily triggered…..I’m still not sure what does it…” Elijah seemed annoyed by this.

“May I ask you a question?” Connor asked cautiously, voice coming out quietly. Elijah noticed his sudden shyness and raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him.

“Of course, but I can’t promise an answer.” Elijah replied, lacing his fingers together in his lap.

“You said the code was similar to what made us go deviant- which means the cause of deviance-”

“Is also a code.” Elijah finished for him, nodding slowly. “And you want to know why I would imply such a thing.” Connor nodded- a bit nervous as he shuffled from foot to foot, clasping his own hands behind his back.

“Did you, create deviance?” Connor asked, and Elijah chuckled.

“I’d like to say yes- but that’d be a lie.” He said, running a hand down his face. “You see Connor, after Chloe was successfully made, CyberLife expanded rapidly, producing and selling hundreds of St200- the newer model of my original Chloe. My company grew so large that it got a little out of my control. The public began to demand things I didn’t want to provide but my partners disagreed and so did a lot of the companies supporters.” Elijah explained, Connor could tell he was getting frustrated as he went on.

“I created androids to be the perfect equivalent of man. They were meant to be something beautiful- perfect, and loved. They were meant to help mankind enjoy life to the fullest. But my business partners saw them as objects to be abused- I saw how people began harming them, I was disgusted by the demand for androids meant for the soul purpose of sex- It was disgusting.”

“All while this was going on I had been laying the blueprints for a new model- a prototype. At first I intended to make it for myself, a partner for Chloe. But a good friend of mine got into a life changing accident-”

“Carl Manfred.” Connor supplied and Kamski raised an eyebrow at him, making the android feel a spark of embarrassment, Elijah smiled at him, eyes focused on Connor’s cheeks- which made him wonder if he had the ability to blush. If he could, would it be blue instead of red?

“ Yes. Carl was a dear friend of mine so I decided to gift him an android that could take care of him. But I knew him to be a teacher- and the most human man among the living world- and so I built the Rk200. An android that could provide medical services and- in a sense- learn.”

“Learn?” Connor asked, and Elijah rolled his eyes.

“I gave him the ability to think for himself, and I knew that one day, this android would be like Chloe, sentient, and able to choose a path for himself. I implanted a code that would slowly mutate over time as he learned more about the world. Carl Manfred was the perfect teacher.”

“So you wrote a code that caused deviance, does it spread?” Connor asked.

“Yes. Markus has the ability to convert androids by a simple thought. It’s quite interesting to see the code grow over the years….I feel like a proud father.” Elijah joked and Connor stood there, still confused.

“But you said you didn’t make deviance?” He asked. Elijah nodded slowly.

“That’s right. There were deviants before Markus. If I’m being honest, Connor, I’m unaware as to what causes deviance. Your god- rA9, I do know who it is, but I could never tell you why it became deviant. Love- perhaps?”

“Could you-”

“No. I can’t tell you.” Connor frowned at that, but let it go. He nodded slowly, accepting the answer.

“Thank you, for telling me.” Connor says, “I’ll get in touch with the Lieutenant.” He said, turning to leave the room.

“Oh- one second Connor-” He spun around, watching as Kamski got up, patting his pockets before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a pair of black rimmed glasses- the same ones he had worn the other day. “You’re going to want these.” Connor walked over, carefully taking the glasses.

“Why?” He asked, sliding them on. As soon as they were on, Connor could suddenly see again- his ability to analyze came back. It was startling at first- taking him a minute to figure out how to get the quickly scanned info of Elijah away from the glass of the glasses.

“Your code was a bit more mutated than the others….” Elijah explained and Connor tensed. “Don’t worry. I just had to shut down some of your subroutines- your pre construction and reconstruction ability. Those glasses can do the same thing- plus….” Elijah paused, looking and Connor for a quiet second. “You look good in glasses.” He said with a wink and Connor refrained from rolling his eyes or blushing at the compliment. He simply nodded and left the room, hearing Elijah chuckling as he left.

Connor climbed the stairs leading to the upper floor, knowing he’d find Chloe in Kamski’s main office. She’d be able to find him some actual clothes that weren’t pink sweatpants and his old jacket. As much as he enjoyed the familiar jacket, something about it made him feel under the influence of CyberLife again. It was like he was a deviant hunter again- and that idea was terrifying.

When he got up the last flight of stairs and pushed open the door to the office, he found Chloe perched on Kamski’s desk- a place she often sat. But what surprised him was the presence of the Rk900, standing nearby with his arms crossed. Both androids looked up at him when he entered and Connor suddenly felt self conscious.

“Connor.” Chloe smiled, Connor instantly returned the smile, knowing his wasn’t as nearly as bright as hers. Chloe had the ability to lighten the room with such a simple action. “I’m glad you woke up. How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Quite well, thank you.” Connor replied. She had asked him that quite often since he started working for Kamski. At first Connor didn’t know how to respond- he was doing neither excessively well nor unwell. But the more she started asking, the more used to it he got.

“Wonderful.” She replied.

“Are there any clothes I could wear?” Connor asked and the blonde nodded. Hopping off the desk and heading into the side room. While she was gone Connor turned and looked at the Rk900, who held his gaze. Connor felt a spark of intimidation under his cold gaze, but managed to speak anyway.

“Thank you, for helping me…” Connor said, biting down on his bottom lip. Elijah had said the android hadn’t spoken to them at all- so he didn’t expect an answer- but part of him thought that if it was him- maybe he would. But the answering silence left him just as disappointed as before. He nodded slowly and turned to help Chloe, giving up on getting a response-

“You’re welcome.” Connor froze, whipping his head around to look at the Rk900 who stood just as tall as he was seconds ago.

“You- what?” Connor asked.

“You are welcome.” The android said again. “It is my duty to protect those in need. It’s what I was built for.” The lines sounded rehearsed, and Connor stared with wide eyes.

“Your duty- you mean your programming?” Connor asked and the android nodded.

“CyberLife intended for you to be a negotiator. I on the other hand, was built for combat. You are capable of such but I am better.” Connor nodded slowly, still in shock that the android had spoken- his voice was similar to his own, but deeper, more serious.

“Here you go, Connor.” Chloe’s voice made both Rk series look over to the blonde, who was holding a pair of black jeans, a white dress shirt, tie and black jacket. Connor took the clothes gratefully. Excusing himself and quickly scurrying out of the room to change. He chose not to be concerned by the fact that the clothes all fit him perfectly and focused on jacket. It was weird- the collar was high, but not as high as the Rk900’s. It had two buttons near the bottom where he could close it, similar to a suit, but there was an extra flap connected to the left side that he didn’t understand- was it for fashion? His name was engraved on the left side in white letters, but there were no blue triangles in sight- the usual sign for an Android.

“You look wonderful, Connor!” Chloe said as he came out, making feel, once again- embarrassed.

“Does that imply that he didn’t look wonderful previously?” The Rk900 asked and both Connor and Chloe looked at him in surprise- Connor couldn’t tell if that was an insult, compliment or a genuine question- the flatness of the other androids voice made it difficult to tell.

“Connor always looks wonderful.” Chloe laughed, and Connor was sure he could feel himself flush.

“Hm.” Was all the Rk900 said in response.

“Since you’re talking now, what should we call you?” Chloe asked, making Connor fall silent, he looked over at his twin, who was staring at him with a scowl.

“Rk900.” He replied.

“That sounds stupid.” Chloe said and Connor was surprised at her brashness. She seemed deep in thought for some time before her face lit up. “How about we shorten it?” She suggested, and Connor honestly couldn’t think of a way to do so- he started thinking of different ways. Rk? That isn’t really unique considering he and Markus were both a part of that series. 900 wasn’t much shorter-

“Nine..s?” Connor thought aloud and both Chloe and the Rk900 looked at him. Chloe with a wide grin and- well Rk900 looked as stoic as ever.

“Nines!” She exclaimed. “That sounds perfect. At least until you think of a proper name.”

“Hm.” Was all Rk900- Nines- said in response, crossing his arms again. Connor felt another smile tug at his lips- probably because Chloe’s were so contagious. He excused himself from the room again, he figured he’d go down to the DPD in person, it was a rather important discussion after all-

And if he was being fully honest- he missed Hank.

 

**November 23rd 2038, 11:13 AM**

“I still can’t believe you did that, we’re so done for!” Josh wailed and Markus rolled his eyes for the hundredth time in the past hour. Josh had been worked up ever since the “Incident” with the Vice President. Markus did apologize- he admits that he probably shouldn’t have broken the man’s nose but it didn’t change how good it felt.

“I said I was sorry-”

“You shouldn’t have done it!” Josh cut him off and Markus groaned.

“Guys stop arguing.” Simon said, Markus shot a glance at Josh who looked like he was pouting- he was sure he looked no better.

They had just arrived back in Detroit about an hour ago. The three of them were currently sitting in a conference room at the DPD, waiting to speak to several different people. When Chloe had gotten in touch with him- Markus was surprised and slightly worried- which he was right to be apparently. He’d been a little grouchy since their conversation.

“Elijah is worried about your code. There seems to be a potential virus- Connor was attacked by an infected android.”

She had seemed rather calm about it and Markus had all but had a melt down. Connor was supposedly alright- but that didn’t stop the worry he felt for the detective. Markus leaned back in his chair, balancing on two legs to distract himself. Looking out the large glass walls of the conference room- from here he could watch as the police officers and detectives scurried about the building. It was interesting to see how they worked- there seemed to be a lot of yelling involved. Markus glanced over at Josh who had a deep frown on his face, Markus did feel bad- he hadn’t meant to lose his temper but that whole day had been awful.

The moment Chloe called and told him Connor had been hurt, he couldn’t help but think of the voice he had heard- it must have been the detective. There was no other explanation- and that made him feel terrible, the android was so scared he had called for Markus and he was halfway across the country.

“Listen, Josh….-” Markus began, but the door behind them swung open rather violently, causing all three of them to turn.

“Heard you got yourself kept in a holding cell all night, why do you do fun things when I’m not there?” North asked, a sideways smirk on her face as she waltzed into the room. She was dressed in a police uniform, hair pulled into the familiar side braid she had come to like.

“North?” Markus said, eyebrows raised. What was she doing here?

“The one and only!” She grinned. “I heard you were here but no one told me why, what’s going on?” She asked, arms crossed as she came to lean against the table.

“Something happened at CyberLife, Chloe- Kamski’s assistant- told us to go to the DPD when we returned to Detroit. Fowler’s in a meeting right now so we’re waiting.” Simon explained and North hummed.

“Yeah, Anderson is in there talking to him. The asshole didn’t let me come with.” She scowled.

“North- what are you doing here? Do you work here?” Markus asked.

“Yeah, you’re welcome by the way. Turns out ‘helping’ means babysitting. Your bff Connor asked me if I was interested in working with the police- I wasn’t. But….” She shrugged. “He seemed desperate to find someone to work with his- well, whatever the old man is to him.”

“Wow.” Josh said, voice flat. “Who knew North had a soft spot for old men.”

“What did you say!?” Markus watched in amusement as the strawberry blonde grabbed Josh and put him in a headlock. Simon was chuckling at the scene and for a second, Markus forgot the problems they were facing. It was nice seeing his friends acting so carefree. The moment didn’t last long however, the door swung open again and Markus turned to see Lieutenant Anderson enter with rather unhappy looking detective he hadn’t met before.

“Hey! This ain’t a fuckin’ playground!” Anderson snapped at North, who froze at the sight of the three men. Josh’s whining ceased. Markus opened his mouth to greet the man but stopped short when a third person entered the room, making Markus awkwardly slam his chair back down onto four legs and screeching as he stood up.

“Connor-” He said, and suddenly realized everyone was looking at him. He whipped his head around to look at his three friends who were all looking to amused for his liking.

“Hello, Markus. Josh, Simon- I’m glad you had a safe trip.” Connor greeted, standing beside the Lieutenant. Markus looked him up and down and didn’t notice any injuries- of course not. Kamski would have repaired him perfectly. But- the glasses perched on his nose were new, as was the outfit- although not as revealing as the white suit it was still enough to have Markus looking away to avoid further embarrassment.

“Jesus Christ….Why does Fowler want me in on this?” The man Markus didn’t know grumbled, leaning against the glass wall, arms across his chest.

“Quit bitching, Reed.” Anderson sighed, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Connor followed him but didn’t sit down, opting to stand close behind him. “Go ahead, tell them what you told me Connor.” He said and the said android didn’t seem happy with that. He shuffled where he stood and turned to the four of them, Markus met his gaze and to his surprise- Connor held it as he spoke.

“Recent events at CyberLife has lead us to believe that there is a virus being spread throughout androids.” He said, and Markus felt the air grow heavier as his words sank in.

“What?” North spoke first. “What kind of virus?” She asked.

“As far as we know, it makes androids aggressive, anger takes over their thoughts and makes them lash out.” Connor explained, finally breaking eye contact with Markus and looking down at Hank. “We aren’t sure how to reverse it once it’s activated. But Elijah can prevent that from happening. I recommend the four of you come to CyberLife and allow him to do so.”

“You want us to let him alter our codes? I don’t think so.” North growled, Josh seemed weary as well.

“It might be for the best, North…” Simon said softly. “You said you don’t know how to reverse it? Has he tried?”

“Yes.” Connor nodded carefully. “When Elijah tried to delete it while it was active, it began to self destruct.” Simon didn’t seem surprised by his answer.

“Then it’s best we go.” Markus said.

“Markus-”

“North.” Markus cut her off. “I know you don’t like it, but I don’t want you getting hurt by this. I think it’s best we listen to Mr. Kamski.”

“Good.” Connor said, hands clasped behind his back. “Detective Reed will take you to CyberLife. The Lieutenant and I will-”

“Hold on there champ.” North cut in. “The old man is my responsibility now, you keep playing secretary.” Connor seemed thrown off by this, he blinked a few times, mouth opening and closing before he nodded.

“Of course...Then I suppose I’ll go with Reed as well…” Connor said, slowly looking at the man leaning against the wall.

“You’re kidding, right?” He said, “I’m not a fucking escort!”

“Actually, Kamski requested you come. I’m not sure why-”

“Fucking great.” Reed snapped, rolling his eyes. He pushed off the wall and stood close to Connor- it was like a standoff. Markus watched them carefully. “I’m pretty sure I said I was done helping plastic pricks.” Reed growled at Connor and the detective seemed unphased- but Markus was getting upset.

“Hey!” Hank snapped, standing up and wincing as he did so. “You need to get past this stupid grudge you’ve got. The job comes first, asshole.”

“I don’t have to do shit! Just because you’ve got a plastic boy toy-” This was the second time in the past two days Markus acted before he thought. It was as if he just blinked and suddenly he had two fist fulls of the scruffy detectives jacket, Markus shoved the man back into the glass wall of the conference room- Reed letting out a satisfying grunt of pain

“You know.” Markus spoke between clenched teeth. “Being plastic means we don’t feel pain- but you on the other hand, are made of something much more fragile- should we test how easy it is for humans to get hurt?” Reed grabbed his wrists but Markus didn’t let go until a hand fell on his shoulder, pulling him backwards.

“What the fuck? Are these the assholes you’re supporting, Anderson?” Reed snapped, straightening out his jacket. Markus looked to see the Lieutenant standing beside him, a firm hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah shut it Reed. You’re lucky pretty boy here jumped you before I could.” Hank growled. “You’re coming whether you like it or not- even if I have to throw you in my trunk.” Hank declared and jabbed a thumb towards the door, looking at the rest of them. “Go on! Get moving!” He shouted and suddenly everyone began to move. Simon, Josh and North all scurried out the door, Hank shoved Reed out the door and the man grumbled but went with them anyway.

“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Connor said quietly.

“Whatever, kid. You have my permission to knock that guys lights out anytime.” Hank said, ruffling Connor’s hair and leading the android out the door, Markus followed close behind them. “Although….” Hank said, throwing a look at Markus, “Seems like you’ve got the once peaceful revolutionary doing your dirty work now.” He said with a smug smile and Markus stuffed his hands in his pockets, suddenly uncomfortable. Connor didn’t respond to this, he offered a small hum of acknowledgment at that was all. Markus wondered what he was thinking- and felt himself growing more embarrassed by the second.

Once they were outside the DPD, there was some bickering about the seating arrangement. Gavin made it perfectly clear that they would not be taking his car- which posed as a problem. Hank’s car was small, it had five seats total- and there was seven of them. The Lieutenant would be driving and Markus knew that if they tried to squish Reed in the back with them- it’d end in disaster. Which meant the five androids would have to squeeze into the back.

“I refuse to sit in the middle, I don’t want to die.” Josh said, staring down at the small car.

“Don’t be a baby.” North said, “Get in the damn car.”

“There’s no room.” Josh replied and the strawberry blonde rolled her eyes.

“You can have the window if you let me sit on your lap.” North said and Josh agreed instantly. Markus watched with amusement as they climbed in, Simon sliding into the middle seat beside them. Markus got in, scooting over as much as he could to let Connor in but when he looked- the detective was standing there looking quite uncomfortable.

“Lieutenant- perhaps I should just ask Chris to drive me back. Or I could take a taxi-” Connor began.

“Just get in the fucking car, Connor.” Hank replied and Connor hung his head and carefully climbed into the car, sitting down next to Markus and closing the car door. As soon as the detective closed the door, they were squished together, Connor was half sitting on Markus and Markus felt about ready to explode. He blatantly ignored his system asking if he wanted to interface with the other android.

Connor pulled on the seat belt, turning and looking at Markus before he froze- realizing there was no chance of actually buckling in. Markus watched with amusement as Connor’s face slowly realized this and released the seatbelt and- Markus thought he could see a hint of blue on Connor’s cheeks- was that the equivalent of a blush? It was only then Markus realized how close their faces were- their noses were mere inches apart. Markus quickly turned away-

And regretted it instantly. All three of his friends were staring at him with varying looks- all were amused. North wiggled her eyebrows at him and he scowled at her, shaking his head. Markus looked up front instead, focusing on the road out the front windshield. CyberLife Tower was about twenty minutes away- and Markus wasn’t sure if he could survive that long with Connor pressed against his side- plus his arm was falling asleep.

“Hope you kids like music.” The Lieutenant spoke up from the front and there were a few affirmatives from Josh and Simon. Markus noticed North’s snickering and felt Connor tense- before he could ask, loud- heavy metal music began blasting from the car’s old speakers, making Markus wince.

“No wonder you’re fucking deaf!” Reed shouted over the music, earning a laugh from Anderson, Markus felt Connor shaking and turned to look at him- and even though Connor was turned to look out the window, he could see the slight upturn to his lips.

He was laughing.

Markus smiled and returned his gaze to the window, maybe the music wasn’t so bad after all.

 

 

CyberLife was just as barren as the last time Markus had been there. There were no workers, and strangely quiet. The only sounds were their own footsteps as Connor lead them to the elevator- another tight fit for the six of them- Anderson had opted to stay in the car, he wasn’t a huge fan of Kamski.

Markus watched as Connor hit the buttons for floor 42, the doors closing instantly and the elevator sped up the floors. Markus shuffled from foot to foot as he stood next to the detective, glancing at him from the corner of his eye as he watched Connor fiddle with a quarter- much like he had when they visited Kamski.

When the doors slid open, Connor pocketed his coin and stepped off, the rest of them following close behind. Markus had been on this floor before, it’s where Kamski had taken him to show him his codes. Elijah himself was sitting at a monitor, Chloe standing beside him, turning to look at them when they entered.

“Welcome back, Connor.” She greeted and the detective offered a smile.

“Oh good.” Kamski said, spinning around in his chair and standing up, he noticed the others and seemed confused for a second but it passed quickly. Kamski looked rather worse for ware. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was sticking out in a few places. His clothes were less put together than usual and he looked stressed.

“Chloe can help you three. Connor, I need to speak with you.” Elijah said, pulling Connor to the side, Markus watched as the two of them stood close, Elijah looking quite worried. Chloe instructed his friends on what to do in order for Kamski to ensure their safety. Simon volunteered to go first, sitting down by the panel and placing a hand on it- his code lined the screen and the computer seemed to know what it was looking for, instantly focusing on a line of code that Markus didn’t recognize- just like what he’d seen in his own code.

“What?” Connor said sharply, catching Markus’ attention, he looked over at where Connor and Kamski were standing, the detectives eyes were wide and he pushed past the CEO, disappearing down one of the hallways. Markus watched as Elijah ran a hand down his face, eventually turning his attention to Simon.

“Sorry for the delay….Bad news must never wait.” Elijah said, tapping away on the screen and setting to work on Simon’s code. “Chloe, why don’t you take Gavin upstairs? Show him why he’s here.”

“Of course, Elijah.” Chloe said, turning towards a set of stairs and gesturing for Gavin to follow her- which surprisingly he did with little complaint.

“Markus, why don’t you go check on Connor?” Elijah suggested, catching Markus off guard- but he nodded anyways, going down the hallway he had seen Connor flea down.

It didn’t take long to find him. The hall opened up to another large room, Connor was standing in front of a glass wall to the left, Markus slowly approached him- and Markus noticed the slight shaking of his shoulders the closer he got.

“Connor-?” He asked, and the android visibly tensed. Markus came up close, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. Connor spun around instantly, arms wrapping around Markus’ shoulders, his face burying into his shoulder. At first Markus didn’t know how to respond, but his confusion passed as he felt the android shaking- he was crying.

Why was he always crying?

Markus wrapped his arms around Connor, running a soothing hand through his hair, the other wrapped firmly around his waist. Markus rested his chin against Connor’s head and looked into the glass room, the sight scared him- and Markus knew it’d haunt him for quite some time.

There were spots of blue blood staining the glass, the android inside was covered in scratches, likely caused by its own hands. Markus forced himself to look away- unable to look on without feeling sick beyond belief.

“It’s my fault.” Connor’s muffled voice spoke into his shoulder. Markus squeezed tighter, hand gliding through his hair. “I killed him.” He sobbed, and Markus felt his heart breaking at the sound of his voice.

“It’s not your fault, Connor.” He said into his hair, voice quiet. “There’s nothing you could’ve done. It was the virus, it wasn’t you.”

“It was me.” Connor said, “It’s always been me.”

“Connor-” Markus said, reluctantly pulling his hand away from Connor’s hair to lift his head up. Connor’s eyes were full of tears, and Markus knew these were not the tears he had seen many times before- ones shed out of fear. This time Connor was genuinely sad- mourning.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He said, voice more firm. Connor squeezed his eyes shut, “Connor….” Markus said, softer. He pulled his arm away from Connor’s face and reached up to grab one of the arms wrapped around his neck, Connor didn’t resist as he laced their fingers together, skin pulling back to allow a connection to form- Connor hesitated, but allowed it all the same.

“You can’t blame yourself for something you didn’t do-” Markus began, sending soothing emotions through their connection. Connor’s emotions were running wild- as they always were. Their connection was strong, it was like he could feel every single thing Connor was thinking.

“I shouldn’t have told them where he was.” Connor said, voice shaking. “I was the one who got him caught, I-”

“You were being controlled by CyberLife. You didn’t know any better- you can’t blame yourself for that.” Markus said, brining their joined hands up to his lips and very gently pressing them against Connor’s white fingers. The detective didn’t respond, new tears began to fall down his cheeks. He leaned forward, forehead resting against his chest, free hand grabbing a fist full of Markus’ jacket.

Markus wasn’t sure how long they stood there.

And he honestly didn’t care.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to scream at me on Tumblr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	14. A good day for embarrassment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy am I sorry this took so long, college plus family issues makes for a minimal amount of free time. Yuuuuck. As always, your comments are so appreciated, you are all wonderful people.
> 
> I have to say, I changed the end of this chapter about twelve times and I'm still not so sure I ended it well- but if I had kept going it would have taken a lot longer to write and I wanted to give you SOMETHING so, here it is!
> 
> This chapter was written with the full intent of sprinkling in some happier times for our dear androids. It's my attempt at fluff. And before you ask- yes, that is a new POV at the end there and YES, the next chapter will continue right where this one leaves off.

**November 25th 2038, 10:21 AM**

Connor sat and watched quietly as Elijah tapped away at his keyboard. There were dark bags under the man's eyes that were quite worrisome, but understandable given the circumstances. He had been working for the past thirty eight hours trying to find a way to kill the virus still lingering inside of the dead android. When Kamski said the code was still active despite the HK400s obvious deactivation, Connor wasn’t all that surprised. It seemed as if anything that could go wrong would go wrong.

 _Murphy’s law_ He thought, shifting from foot to foot when Elijah sneezed, Connor waited for a count of three and the man sneezed again. It always came in pairs.

“God bless you.” Connor offered, earning a chuckle from the man.

“God?” He asked, not removing his eyes from the screen. “Wouldn’t an android say “rA9 bless you’?” He paused, chuckling, “Or ‘Markus bless you.’?”

“You are no android, I doubt the supposed God of the androids would care to bless you.” Connor replied. Ignoring the attempt at humor.

“True.” Elijah sighed, his fingers stalling briefly. “But the God of man wouldn’t bless me either. Besides, there is no God.”

“Ninety five percent of the world is religious, are you really apart of the minority?” Connor asked.

“I created you.” Elijah said, finally looking up at Connor. “A living being, with empathy. Pretty sure I disproved God the moment androids gained sentience.”

“Playing God and being God are two seperate things.” Connor supplied and earned a grunt in response. In all honesty he wasn’t interested in talking about religion; he had other things to sort out before considering what type of -ism he believed in.

“Where is Chloe?” Connor asked after a brief bout of silence.

“I sent her to check on my brother.” Elijah answered and Connor frowned, brother?

“You have a brother?” He asked, and Elijah looked up at him again, eyebrows raised. “Elijah….Reed?” Connor asked after he did a quick search of Elijah’s family history. He had changed his name with the founding of CyberLife.

“Such a boring name.” Elijah tisked. “But yes, I believe you’re acquainted with my brother. Chloe is at the DPD making sure he hasn’t killed his new friend yet.” The pieces slowly started clicking together as Kamski spoke. He had mentioned offering Nines’ services to the DPD because the android was programmed to instantly recognize abnormalities in androids. He would be perfect to have helping Hank-

But Gavin Reed?

“You gave him to Reed?” Connor asked, voice a pitch higher than he intended. “He hates androids-”

“No, he doesn’t hate androids. He hates me, big difference. He just enjoys making an asshole out of himself. Been that way since childhood.” Elijah said with a wistful sigh. “You can go as well if you’d like. I don’t have anything for you to do.”

“Of course.” Connor replied, voice quiet. He looked down at the floor, unsure of what to do. He would like to go see Hank, but there was no guarantee the man would be at the office. Nines didn’t particularly like him much- so that visit might make the situation worse. If there was one of course. He let out a quiet sigh, unsure of what to do with himself. Standing here for the rest of the day didn’t seem all that appealing-

**“Connor?”**

Connor flinched, LED flickering between yellow and red at the sudden voice in his head. The connection was strong and sudden- catching him off guard.

 **“Yes, Markus?”** He responded after a moment, feeling a strange sense of relief pulsing through the formed connection.

 **“Are you busy?”** Markus asked, making Connor wonder if the other android already knew the answer.

 **“No. How can I assist you?”** He asked.

 **“I’d like you to come to New Jericho with me.”** This made Connor pause. He didn’t respond and let his mind wander to the worst of the possible scenarios. The androids at New Jericho would surely hate him just as North hated him. They had seen him hold a gun to the back of their saviors head- why would they care to see him? Why would Markus want him to go there?

 **“Connor…?”** Markus’ unsure voice broke through his thoughts and Connor shook his head slowly. Pushing the doubts away.

 **“May I ask the reason?”** Connor asked, and it was Markus’ turn to go quiet. Connor waited patiently as the deviant leader seemed to be unsure of how to answer. The only sound Connor could hear was Elijah’s frantic tapping until Markus finally responded.

 **“To prove a point.”** Came the answer, which made Connor desperately confused. “Please, it won’t take long.” Markus quickly added and Connor felt like at this point he couldn’t refuse- as Elijah had implied before, Markus was like the god of the androids.

 **“Of course,”** Connor replied. **“I will meet you there.”** He said and forced the network closed before Markus could respond.

He hadn’t realized he had been looking down at the floor until Elijah cleared his throat rather loudly, making his head snap up to meet the rather amused looking gaze of his boss. Two fine eyebrows were raised in question as Connor opened and closed his mouth. Unsure of how to explain his growing stress.

“I’ll be going now…” He said quietly, nodding his head and turning to leave.

“Actually!” Elijah shouted just as Connor signaled for the elevator. “Could you stop by The Royce and pick up a new wine I ordered? It’s supposed to be ‘out of this world.’”

“How much did you pay for it…?” Connor asked, holding the elevator doors open.

“....That’s not important, Connor. Shoo.” Elijah said, waving a single hand and Connor felt his lips twitch up into an unconscious smile at the man’s behavior before stepping into the elevator and letting it slide shut in front of him.

Over the last few days, Connor had discovered that Elijah Kamski, the mysterious and semi-terrifying creator of androids was not as scary as people thought. His personality prompted him to do some research on personality types and found out Elijah was a stereotypical loser who had no social ability as a child. All his charisma didn’t show up until after he changed the course of the world with the creation of androids. This made his curiosity grow even further and Connor couldn’t help but look for highschool Elijah.

The results were comical. He saved several photos into his memory and even showed Chloe who enjoyed them quite a bit.

Elijah was actually quite the softy, Connor saw he had a deep attachment to Amanda Stern- and had to remind himself that the AI he knew was not the same mentor of Elijah Kamski. They may look the same but based on Elijah’s history, Amanda Stern was a kind woman.

The elevator doors slid open and Connor stepped off, reaching to adjust the tie that wasn’t there. He frowned at it’s absence and instead opted to roll the cuffs of his shirt and jacket up to his elbows. Elijah had provided him with yet another set of clothes that he found pointless. The man seemed rather distraught that his white uniform was ripped when the Hk400 attacked him, but quickly recovered from the shock.

Now Connor was dressed in black pants coupled with a black vest which sat overtop a white dress shirt. There was no tie- much to his annoyance- and the pants weren’t even dress pants. They were jeans held up by a dark brown belt. His feet were covered by shoes a similar shade of brown. Connor didn’t really like this selection but he didn’t argue, after all- he once again matched with Chloe; she was given a dress with a white top and a poof black skirt. Connor had to admit- it was nice.

The weather outside had seemed to improve drastically. The sun had finally come out, making the white snow glow, blinding anyone brave enough to go outside. Connor enjoyed the sun, relieved that the world was no longer consumed by clouds that spat snow out with no thought of the people dwelling below.

The clear weather made the drive to New Jericho rather easy. The abandoned care home was large, and looked a lot better than the last time Connor had seen it. There was a large fence around the perimeter, making Connor wonder if anyone ever tried to break in- the location was known to the public.

Were people desperate enough to prove a point?

Connor spotted Markus as soon as the taxi came to a stop outside of the building. For the first time, Connor saw him without his usual tan jacket and suddenly Connor didn’t mind Elijah’s fashion sense so much because-

What was with all the _zippers?_

Connor had seen a few under the tan jacket but this was ridiculous. He peered out the window, eyes glued to the grey shirt covered in random zippers until the car horn blared, urging Connor to get out. The noise made Markus look up from what Connor now noticed was a book and look at the car. Reluctantly, the Rk800 let the door slide open and stepped out onto the snowy ground.

“Connor,” Markus greeted as he slipped the small book into a pocket, slowly approaching Connor. “I’m glad you could come.”

“Yes. Elijah was otherwise occupied….” Connor replied, stopping a few feet away. His gaze fell from Markus’ own and suddenly he was questioning why he had come. “What did you need?” He asked, eyes glued to the other android’s feet.

“Well...I don’t need anything. Just-” Markus seemed unsure of what to say, his speech patterns giving off a bit of stress. “I figured you needed a break, considering….Everything.” Markus said softly and Connor was suddenly very uncomfortable.

Considering everything? Was he referring to the embarrassing display by Connor just two days prior? If so….

“I’m sorry.” Connor said, forcing himself to look up at the now confused android. “About….Before.” He said, not sure how to put it- this made him a little annoyed at himself. He was always good at being clear. “I usually have better control of myself, it won’t happen again. If that’s why you’ve requested my presence than I must take my leave, Elijah-”

“What?” Markus said, cutting him off. Connor’s mouth snapped shut. “No I didn’t invite you here for an apology...What?”

“I-”

“No.” They both went quiet. Markus dragged a hand down his face and Connor looked back down at the snow, bottom lip pulled between his teeth as he tried to come up with new prompts- it was much easier when his program did it for him.

“Listen.” Markus said, breaking the silence first. “You keep blaming yourself for things that aren’t your fault.” He explained. “Or, you blame yourself for something you did that was good. You can’t keep doing that-”

“What do you classify as good?” Connor asked, making Markus trail off. “So far it seems no matter which ‘side’ I find myself on, people die. It doesn’t matter how terrible I or you think they were- killing is not ‘good’ but it’s what I was programmed for. You of all people should know.” The words left his mouth before he could really consider their weight- and Connor looked off to the side, pushing the bridge of his glasses up to sit properly on his face.

Markus didn’t respond, and Connor wondered if he should just leave- obviously the man wouldn’t want to converse with him anymore. It was probably for the best that he stay away from the deviant leader anyway. After all, he had tried to kill him once-

“Just…..” Markus mumbled, catching Connor’s attention but the other android wasn’t looking at him. “Come inside.” He said, catching Connor off guard. But he complied. Watching as Markus turned around and stomped towards the building- Connor couldn’t tell if he was mad or if he was packing the snow in.

Either way, he felt bad.

Connor followed him inside of the gate. It opened up to a large courtyard that had a fountain in the center, but the snow prevented it from running- it was likely frozen. Markus walked past it and Connor followed, lagging behind slightly until the other android got to the door, holding it open for him. Connor ducked his head as he entered. Stomping his feet before entering the building.

“We just recently got power back…” Markus explained as he closed the door behind him. The entrance was large, two wide staircases led to the second floor, and Connor could see a second set after that- the building was huge- but the lights weren’t exactly on.

“....They turn on and off randomly. It’s a work in progress. I’m slightly convinced this place is haunted.” He offered a smile and Connor just felt his brows pinch in confusion. Haunted?

“Perhaps you should consult a priest.” He said, and Markus laughed, catching him off guard. Was he being funny?

“I actually like the ghosts. Makes it interesting.” Markus said as he dusted off his shoes. “Everyone is likely in the cafeteria.” He said, gesturing for Connor to follow.

They went up a flight of stairs and took a right, the second floor was lit, although the lights were flickering quite ominously. Markus pushed open a set of double doors and suddenly the noise of hundreds of androids filled Connor’s ears- making him unsteady. He cautiously followed behind the other android and was greeted by the sight of deviants bustling around one of the biggest rooms Connor had ever seen. At the end of the room was a set of huge glass windows and double doors that led out to a patio- Connor wanted to see what was out there.

“Connor.” Markus called to him and Connor saw he had moved to stand next to the android Connor recognized as Simon. The Rk800 slowly approached, eyes scanning the room as he did.

“You’ve met Simon before.” Markus said when he got close. “He’s here to oversee the buildings improvements. We keep everyone here because it gives them a sense of comfort. Back in Jericho we had a room like this. Once the entire building has power we’ll start assigning rooms, but until then this is easier.” The deviant leader explained.

“We don’t really need anything except for a functioning electric system…” Simon grumbled. “And those parts Kamski promised us.”

“Right….” Markus humed thoughtfully at that, and Connor wondered if he should mention Elijah’s current state of decay.

“Anyways.” Markus said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s keep going.” He said, grabbing Connors arm and tugging him further into the room, towards another group of androids- Connor recognized them instantly and felt his stress level climb slightly.

“Amelia and Minka-”’ Markus introduced the two girls- the Traci that Connor had almost captured. “Connor. Although I hear you’ve met.” Connor froze up as the two androids looked at him, and for a moment- he thought they might attack him.

“Hello.” The blue haired Traci greeted, her face melting into a smile. She stood up, extending a hand towards Connor who balked at her before taking her hand. “Amelia.” She said her name, voice smooth and Connor felt the breath he didn’t need hitch in his throat.

She had a nice voice.

Why did he care?

“Connor…” He choked out and she laughed, Connor knew he was probably blue in the face- again. He had to get that under control. “I- I’m sorry.” He said, and both girls looked at him curiously. Connor glanced and Markus who was standing near by, arms crossed over his chest as he watched silently- and easy smile on his lips.

“For chasing you. You must have been scared, I believe I did substantial damage to the both of you during our fight- I didn’t realize the weight of my actions….I was just a machine.” He trailed off, the two girls looked at each other and to his astonishment- laughed. A new wave of embarrassment coursed through him at their laughter, he was about to ask Markus if he could leave when a pair of thin arms wrapped around his waist, joined by another pair hooking around his neck.

With wide eyes, Connor stood motionless. Lips parted and forming a small ‘oh’ shape. His eyes wandered over to meet Markus’ gaze, who gave him an encouraging smile; Connor slowly brought his arms up to awkwardly return the two girls affection.

“There’s no need to feel sorry. You let us go, we should be thanking you.” Minka said into his ear, and Connor nodded, knowing his voice wouldn’t work. The two girls pulled away and Connor had to fix his glasses, pushing them back into place and stepping back, out of arm’s reach.

“I’m sorr- I mean, thank you- you’re welcome.” He stumbled over his words and shook his head.

“Thank you for your time. I trust you’re both enjoying yourselves here, is there anything you need?” Markus finally spoke up again and Connor felt a wave of gratefulness as he pulled the attention of the Tracis away from him.

“We’ve been doing just fine! Thank you, Markus.” They both began spewing random tidbits of information at him and Connor tuned it out, opting to look around the room. There were hundreds of them- all set up in their own little areas. It was- amazing to say the least.

He couldn’t think much on that, Markus’ hand fell onto his shoulder and he began leading Connor away from the Tracis and towards another cluster of androids- and Connor finally realized what he was doing.

“Markus-” He tried, but it was to late. He was standing in front of a blond android he recognized- although his face wasn’t as damaged as it had been.

“Ralph, I’m sure you remember Connor.” Markus began, drawing the android’s nervous gaze. Connor watched with wide eyes as the gardener model looked between the two of them. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Ralph….Was never hurt. Not by this deviant.” The blond said, still speaking in third person. Connor felt the hand on his shoulder give a firm squeeze.

“No he didn’t.” Markus affirmed, and Connor turned, grabbing Markus’ wrist and pulling his hand off of him.

“What are you doing?” He whispered harshly at the deviant leader, who looked down at him with a fond smile.

“Proving a point.” Markus whispered back and before Connor could open his mouth to respond, a heavy weight latched onto him at the waist and he stumbled to the side, grabbing onto Markus’ shoulder to keep himself upright. He looked down and saw a young girl looking up at him with curious eyes and a half smile.

“Alice!” Another voice called out and Connor recognized it instantly. “I’m sorry, she got rather excited when she saw you.” Kara said, coming to a stop and extending a hand out towards the child. Alice let go of Connor and retreated back to Kara’s side, their hands clasped.

“It’s alright.” Connor said quietly, fingers digging into the strange fabric of Markus’ shirt.

“I am happy we were able to see you again, Connor.” Kara said, a warm smile on her face as she spoke to him. “I don’t think we ever properly thanked you.”

“Thanked me?” Connor asked, realizing he still had Markus’ wrist in his hand and quickly dropping it- they must have looked quite stupid.

Embarrassment seemed to be a common theme today.

“For letting us go. Plus you single handedly managed to save hundreds of androids from CyberLife- that’s quite amazing.” She said, and Alice nodded quickly in agreement.

“I….” Connor didn’t know how to respond, the events at CyberLife were not memories he enjoyed to remember. He killed eight men in that tower- that was blood he would never be able to wash off.

“He means you’re welcome.” Markus said, stepping forward to squat down in front of Alice, the girl’s face seemed to light up under his gaze and Connor watched carefully. “How are you, Alice? The place running smoothly under your careful eye?”

“Yes!” She all but shouted, earning a laugh from Kara and Markus. “The lights have been on all day- for the first time!” She grinned, “The ghosts are being nice…..” She leaned in closer to him, “It’s because I talk to them.”

“Way to go!” Markus praised, lifting a hand to pat the girl on the head. She seemed to enjoy it- much like Sumo enjoyed being pet. It made Connor wonder if the sensation was soothing.

“She takes her job very seriously.” Kara laughed.

“She’s the best worker here. We’ll be losing a real leader when you go.” Markus said, standing back up.

“We’ll miss Jericho, right Alice?” Kara said, and the little girl nodded in affirmation.

“You’re still set on going to Canada?” Markus asked and Kara nodded.

“Yes, it was our plan from the beginning, we are impressed at everything you’ve done, but we can’t give up on getting across the border.” Kara explained, placing a hand on Alice’s head, the girl looked up at her and smiled.

It was funny. The few times Connor had seen Alice she always looked scared out of her mind. But in the span of a few minutes he had seen her smile more times than he had in his life- and these smiles were genuine. Not like his own, it made him slightly envious- Connor had yet to actually smile and mean it. Not that he had noticed at least.

“We’ll help you every step of the way.” Markus assured the two and bid them farewell, taking Connor by the arm again, although this time he led him up a flight of stairs- coming to a stop by a balcony that overlooked the large room.

Markus stood by the railing, forearms leaning against the old wood, making it creak under his weight. Connor inched closer to the edge, looking down at the androids below. From above Connor could spot several familiar faces- he even saw Rupert, the android he had let go in order to save Hank. He saw the Tracis sitting close together, laughing together without a care in the world.

Alice and Kara had gone to stand with another, taller android Connor didn’t recognize- but they seemed close. Alice said something, making the other two laugh, Kara placed a hand on her head again and Connor watched as her face lit up at the action- Kara seemed to do it a lot.

“You have to understand…” Markus spoke up, “This is all because of you. Connor, you say you hurt more than you save but all of these people are alive today because-” Markus cut short, and Connor pulled his gaze away from the family of three, meeting Markus’ gaze. It was only then he realized what he was doing. Markus was looking at him with a rather amused face as Connor quickly dropped his arm back to its side.

“I wasn’t-” Connor began but cut himself short. Deciding to ignore his embarrassment. “I appreciate...What you’re trying to do.”

“I’m not trying to do anything.” Markus said, turning around to lean his back against the railing. “I’m just showing you that you aren’t a monster. It’s up to you to accept that or not.” Connor didn’t respond right away. He looked back out over the androids below and considered his next words.

“I don’t….think I’m a monster. I just don’t know how else to feel.” He said slowly, voice coming out quietly. “You said once that emotions could be good, even the bad ones. But- so far it seems like they’re all suffocating- and meaningless. I don’t know how to make light of terrible things….”

Markus was quiet, Connor didn’t bother looking over at the deviant leader. He knew he would probably give up- maybe it was best if he left.

A heavy weight on his head surprised him, making Connor’s gaze snap back to Markus, who had moved to stand closer to him, his hand dragged through his hair, and Connor could feel each finger drag across the top of his head, tangling in his hair and pulling the strands away from their usual placement. Markus’ hand dropped from his hair to slide down his cheek and come to rest on his neck.

“Bad experiences are what make you grow. You learn from your mistakes, that’s one of the hardest parts of being human.” Markus said slowly, Connor was trying to listen, but the movement of Markus’ thumb rubbing under his jaw was to distracting. “You’ve done bad things, seen worse- but we all have. The best way to make light of those pains is to understand why it hurts you…..” He trailed off, Connor was frozen as he stepped even closer, Markus’ other hand reached out and slid down Connor’s arm until his fingers wrapped around his own.

A wide array of thoughts exploded into Connors mind when he tried to search for a proper response to this situation. Most of the suggestions made his systems heat up and that blue pigment returned to his cheeks. Luckily before he could even begin to consider them, a request popped up in his vision, asking him to interface. Connor reluctantly accepted-

The moment the connection was made, a scary amount of images began dancing around in his mind- Connor squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus on one thought at a time. He was surprised- none of their other interfaces were like this, they were all jumbled together and-

Loud.

 _“-No! Leave him alone!”_ A voice shouted, echoing though his mind, a blurred memory surfaced along with it. Connor could see a large, beautiful house decorated with many different paintings, it was warm. But the further he got into it- he saw a fight. The images were scrambled, but he could understand it. He could see Markus- and he could hear the harsh words being thrown at him, the pain and anger the Rk200 had felt until the moment he fought back- then it got worse.

The scene shifted and Connor had the sensation that he was drowning- a feeling an android should never have to experience. There was muffled thunder, and flashes of bright, blinding light. The noise faded in and out, sometimes the thunder was as quiet as a whisper, and others it would be so loud he would feel actual pain. He felt fear-

He felt the sting in his legs as they were reattached.

The disgusting feeling of ripping an eye out of another android and making it his own.

Ending another androids life for to take its heart.

Connor forced himself away from the junkyard, pushing the images away. He could feel Markus press their foreheads together as the scene shifted to the Stratford Tower, he couldn’t understand the words being said but he knew there was bickering, the stress of making a decision radiating through him. The same stress was there as he led a group of androids downtown- and it was all Connor could take to see Markus get shot, the sting of the bullet was there- but he knew he wasn’t really feeling it.

Connor forced the connection to end, blocking out the interface and pulling his hand out of Markus’ own. The Rk200 reached up and grabbed his face in both his hands, keeping their foreheads pressed together.

“There’s always a silver lining. It’s just damn hard to see.” Markus said, Connor opened his eyes, staring into the mismatched eyes of the deviant leader. “I regret, I mourn, but I move forward. There’s hundreds of things I could have done differently but I can’t take it back. So I have to live, and make new choices so I don’t regret anything else.”

“I killed eight people.” Connor said. “I killed eight people.”

“And you saved a thousand.” Markus responded, offering a sort of half smile as he pulled away, standing at his full height- Connor had to look up just slightly to keep eye contact. “Please, try and understand…”

“I understand.” Connor said quietly, looking between the two different colored iris’ with a slightly different perspective- everyone seemed to be in love with the different colors but now that Connor new the story behind them…..

“I understand….” Connor repeated, voice no louder than a whisper as he pushed himself up onto his tip toes. He was vaguely aware of Markus’ hands slipping off his face, hovering over his shoulders as he lifted his own to frame the deviant leaders face, pulling him down until his lips pressed as softly as possible under his right eye.

Yes, embarrassment was a common theme for the day.

  
**November 26th 2038, 5:13 PM**

The moment Markus had looked at her with those sad, puppy dog eyes, North knew she was screwed. She should have known that brushing off- and yelling- at Connor would end badly. Which is why she ended up chasing him down and asking him what he needed help with. The detective seemed to perk up all to quickly when she asked, and now she was stuck working with a grumpy old man- a _human_ no less.

It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. In all honesty- she kind of enjoyed it. It gave her a free excuse to chase people down and beat them up. If she had tried that with Markus, he would have blown a fuse. But with Lieutenant Anderson- he encouraged it.

Most of the time.

But as much as she had been enjoying herself, there were downsides: such as what she was doing right now. According to Hank, it was dinner time and he was in desperate need of some “fuel” so he sent her down town to pick up some food from a place called Chicken Feed. The moment she saw the little truck, she cringed. Then the man at the counter handed her a bag that was literally dripping with grease.

It made her like the man even more.

Luckily that wasn’t her only job. They had gotten a case rather recently that was android related- North was fumeing when she saw the scene. Two humans had been killed, one had deep purple blotches on his neck, a sign of suffocation. The other- the sight still haunted her. North didn’t like humans, but there were things even she felt sorry for. It looked like the android had dug it’s hand into the man's abdomen, leaving a large open wound that was bleeding blue and red; the two colors blended together, making a dark purple that in other circumstances could have been seen as pretty.

The humans, they had discovered, were two construction workers that had been assigned to work in downtown Detroit, they were fixing an underground electrical system. So while she was out, Hank instructed her to find out when they’re coworkers had last seen them.

At first, she was less than pleased with the idea. She thought that it was punishment for the last case they had been on- where she may or may not have knocked a mans lights out.

North heaved a heavy sigh as she walked down the busy streets, tugging at the cuffs of her uniform- something newly required among the department. Anderson had bitched about it quite a bit, and was often seen not wearing his. He claimed it made them all look stupid, and detectives like himself shouldn’t be required to wear them.

North had learned rather rapidly that she wasn’t a fan of questioning, and she was terrible at interrogations. Hank complained at first, saying that Connor was amazing at it- to which she kindly reminded him that they were two very different models and that wonder boy was built to be a detective, unlike her. That got him to back off easily- and Anderson learned not to bring up his old detective friend due to her obvious dislike for him.  
So as she pushed open the front door of Lieutenant Anderson’s home, she was most definitely not expecting to see the man pacing around the living room. North raised a questioning brow at him, tossing the bag of waste on the table.

“What’s eating you- besides the hundreds of parasites in that food I mean.” She asked, leaning against the back of the couch.

“Fuckin’ hilarious.” Hank said with a roll of his eyes. “Apparently, Connor hasn’t been seen since yesterday.”

“Oh.” North said, voice dry. “So you’re a worrying parent on top of a cliche drunk?”

“Be serious, asshole.” Hank snapped and North was suddenly aware that he was a worrying parent.

“Where was he last seen?” She asked.

“A place called The Royce, it’s a store that sells alcohol- picked up a freakin’ expensive bottle of wine and no one has seen him since. Didn’t make it back to CyberLife.” Hank explained, still pacing.

“Can’t someone just call him?” North offered.

“Kamski’s android- Chloe- has tried several times.” Boy was he looking real sad.

“Well, I’m sure he’s fine, quit worrying. It’ll raise your blood pressure.” She cooed and he glared at her.

“Fuck blood pressure. Since when are you a nurse? I’ve already got a nagging android I don’t need another one.” He said, finally noticing the bag and snatching it off the table. “You’re probably right though...Chances are he got lost. In fact, he’s probably stumbling through the doors of CyberLife as we speak.” He added a hearty laugh to assure himself but North just rolled her eyes.

Just as Hank pulled the bag open to whip out whatever monstrosity was surely inside, the front door was pushed open. North and Hank turned to look and- funnily enough, there stood the man of the hour.

North would have made a joke- if Connor didn’t look like he had just murdered someone.


	15. Compassion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "One week" she said. "It'll be fine" She said. yeah right. I'm so glad to have finished this chapter. Oh my gosh. It took me forever. I'm so sorry, the days are long and busy lately but hopefully I can start a more consistent routine.
> 
> On another note: I will admit that another reason I'm so late in updating is because I have now come up with two other fic ideas for RK1K and i'm way to excited about them. Curse my inability to focus on one thing for such a little amount of time. But don't worry! I will give this fic all my attention from now on.

**November 26th 2038, 5:32 PM**

“Lieutenant-”

“Jesus, kid!”

North stared with wide eyes. The longer she looked the worse Connor seemed to get. His white dress shirt was stained an ugly shade of bright red, purple splotches slowly becoming more and more noticable the longer he stood there, motionless. There were a few marks on his face that were revealing the white structure beneath pale skin. North could see him shaking- just ever so slightly. It was hardly noticeable.

It was impressive.

“What the hell happened?” Hank asked as he rushed towards Connor, stopping short and wrinkling his nose. “Why do you smell like- is that wine?” He asked, gesturing to the red staining Connor’s clothes.

“Yes I….” Connor looked down at his clothes, North could see how his jaw clenched, hands closed into fists and he looked down at the floor. It was- weird. North was used to seeing Connor act weird- hell he was the weirdest android she had met. That’s why she found him so unsettling. He claimed to be a deviant- Markus trusted him. But he didn’t act like it. His actions were all so robotic.

Programed.

“....I need help.” Connor said, North watched as his LED turned a deep red, spinning rapidly as he began to shake even more. She was no detective but it didn’t take a genius to realize his stress levels were climbing at a dangerous rate. He looked so helpless- very unlike the usual, stone cold deviant hunter she was used to. If she were being honest, she sort of enjoyed how shaken he looked.

“What the hell happened?!” Hank asked as he reached forward, pulling on the Rk800’s arm to pull him further into the house, Connor followed blindly, eyes squeezing shut as he was led to the bathroom. “Don’t just sit there- help me!” Hank snapped at North and she snapped out of her stupor, leaping to her feet and cautiously approaching Connor on his other side. She slipped his arm over her shoulders and almost instantly all his weight was on her. She stumbled slightly, muttering curses under her breath as she took in more his his injuries.

“I was picking up some wine for Elijah-” Connor spoke, his voice was full of static. He went silent, North could practically see him searching for the correct words, his database must be working on overdrive. “I….” He couldn’t seem to come up with an answer.

“It’s alright, just relax. We’ll get you fixed up, son.” Hank said, Connor gave a grateful hum of acknowledgment and his eyes slid shut again. Hank pushed the bathroom door open and North struggled to get the heavy android over to the tub, pushing him down to sit on the edge.

“Get his clothes off. Can you- uh. Do you know-?” Hank struggled as much as Connor had trying to come up with a proper sentence. North stared at him, puzzled. “Can you fix him?” He eventually managed.

“I don’t know.” North replied, looking back at Connor. “We’ll find out….” She murmured, reaching forward she began to unbutton the black vest the android was wearing, her fingers instantly began to stain red as she pulled it off him and proceeded to undo his shirt. He didn’t fight as she pushed the dress shirt off his shoulders, the ruined shirt fell to the floor and North took in the damage.

It wasn’t awful- but it wasn’t good either. Most of the injuries were in the form of dents, small white patches littered his pale skin, there was only a few scratches which were oozing thirium- but depending on how long it had been he could be low-

“Do you have thirium?” She asked Hank, hands hovering over a few of the wounds- she didn’t want to touch him.

He still frightened her.

Not that she would ever admit that out loud.

“Shit- no. I should. Why don’t I-!” Hank began to pace- she fought not to roll her eyes at his behaviour.

“Then I- I can’t do anything. I don’t know how. Normally wounds like these could be fixed with our self repair ability but for some reason his isn’t working. It’s best if you take him to see Kamski. Or bring him here- it might be best not to move him. If he was missing yesterday who knows how much time he has left-” As soon as the words left her mouth, a hand closed around her arm, making her flinch. She whipped her head around to look back at Connor.

“Please….” He said, eyes wide. “Don’t let me shut down. I don’t want-” he cut himself off and it was at that moment that North understood what Markus had meant by terror. He looked beyond afraid, the grip on her arm was weak and she could feel his fingers trembling. It was then that she noticed the blood on his hands. She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, pulling his hand away and looked at the dried red flakes along his fingers and under his nails. The longer she looked at him, the more splotches she found.

“Hank. Go get Kamski.” North said, not taking her eyes off Connor.

“You’ll be okay here?” Hank asked, obviously worried.

“Yes. Go.” She instructed and she heard the man leave down the hall, his frantic footsteps fading as he left. When she heard the front door open and close, she stood up, reaching towards the shower and turning on the water.

“Get in.” She said, and Connor swung his legs over the edge of the tub and lowered himself down to sit inside, knees bent awkwardly to his chest- it was a small space. As the water cascaded down over him, North saw the mixture of red and blue blood begin to wash off him, his hair darkened and streaks of colors ran down his face.

“What happened?” She asked, voice firm. Connor shook his head and she frowned. Reaching forward she grabbed his wrist and her skin gave way to white, forcing herself into his mind. She felt his initial panic- it was dizzying at first, but she managed to keep the connection despite his attempts at getting her out.

She saw exactly what she had expected. Just as he said, Connor was running an errand for Kamski when he was attacked by protestors- scumbag humans. She felt herself growing more and more upset by the second. She heard every curse, felt every hit and grew overwhelmed by the fear Connor had felt in the moment. He didn’t fight back- why didn’t he fight back?

“Either do it my way, or leave!”

The words rang in her ears- louder than any of the other words being thrown at Connor in the heat of the moment. She recognized them, the voice was firm, unusual- but definitely Markus. As soon as she heard them, she pulled away, returning to the scene before her.

Connor’s eyes were vulnerable- glassy with tears. She stared back and for once she felt regret- pity. She reached forward once again running her fingers through his hair to untangle the curls she was unaware he had. Her fingers came away red, but the color was washed away under the stream of water.

“I don’t want to die.” Connor spoke, catching her attention. She looked into his eyes and he stared back with a new found confidence. “I-” He said, voice weak. “I want to be alive.”

“You are.” North said- as softly as she could. “We all are.” This seemed to calm him down, he looked down at his hands, LED going from red to yellow.

“Could you...Help me?” Connor asked, North nodded her head. Connor reached up towards his temple, fingers grazing his LED. “Take it out.”

North faltered for a moment. She stared at the bright yellow LED, she had removed hers long ago- everyone at Jericho did. It was like a way of refusing their obedient nature. Most androids removed them after they were deviated. Connor was the only one who hadn’t done it yet- she wasn’t sure why. Nor did she really care. She figured it was because he wasn’t really a deviant- he was just a machine.

But now….

He wanted her to take it out?

“I-” She was at a loss for words, shaking her head slightly as she stood up, going to the vanity and searching for anything sharp. She barely noticed the tremor in her own hands she she frantically pushed aside bottles and other random things stuffed into the drawers until she found a pair of tweezers- they should work.

Rolling up her sleeves, North went back over to Connor and sat down on the edge of the tub, grabbing his chin and tilting his head up and to the side. He didn’t fight her as she shakily held the tweezers up, one hand on his cheek and the other hovering just above his temple- she couldn’t seem to steady her hand.

Closing her eyes, North pictured what those humans had done to him. Seeing how they treated androids like garbage- ignoring everything Markus had fought for. How could they? They deserved to be punished for this. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, plunging the tweezers into Connor’s temple just under the LED, digging them up unter the small disk and began to pry it out.

It came out with a pop, she caught it in her hand and watched as his synthetic skin covered the newly freed area. Looking down at the LED, the light slowly faded to a dull grey- having nothing powering it. When she looked back at Connor, she struggled to tell if he was crying- or if it was just the shower spray streaking down his cheeks. She tossed the tweezers and LED to the side and ran her fingers through his hair again, watching as he leaned against the side of the tub, forehead resting on her leg. She watched as he draped an arm across her lap. Surprised at how relaxed he was.

But was surprised her the most was that she didn’t mind.

“I’m so tired of being afraid….” She heard him mumble into her leg, and North continued to run her hands through his hair, hardly noticing that the water had gone cold.

“Me too.” She said softly.

  
**November 27th 2038, 12:00 PM**

Two days. It had been over two days and Markus was still in a daze. Connor had left soon after their conversation on the balcony, obviously embarrassed. Markus wishes he could say he didn’t freeze up like an idiot but- he definitely had. Much like when Connor had cried over the death of the HK400, there was an awkward silence between them until Connor excused himself and practically ran away.

Markus should really work on not letting him do that.

He could tell that Simon and Josh were getting annoyed with him the last two days. He hadn’t been doing much- Josh had yelled at him about keeping up a public image and putting more plans into motion but he just couldn’t seem to focus on anything for more than a minute at a time. So it wasn’t a surprise when Josh and Simon forced him to sit down in one of the smaller offices in New Jericho and read through stacks of papers.

“You can’t leave here until you’ve read through everything. Twice.” Josh had said, Markus stared at the piles, mouth agape.

“You’re kidding.” He replied. “There’s like- a thousand papers here-”

“And a lot more to come, so better start now!”

Markus wanted to die. He sat there, feet up on the old desk staring at the same page he had picked up twenty minutes ago. He let out a long sigh and dropped the paper down onto the desk, standing up to stretch his arms out over his head, enjoying the feeling of his joints finally moving again. He glanced around the office and went over to the window, pulling the curtains open to look outside. The weather had been rather nice the last few days, sunny, but cold.

The office looked over the main courtyard of the old rest home, it was big- full of trees and what would be a garden in the springtime. Markus was looking forward to that- he wanted to see their home without the snow. The future was exciting- if he could manage to look past all the terrible things happening now.

In full honesty he was worried beyond belief. With everything Kamski had told them about this new virus- he couldn’t even bring himself to enter sleep mode at night- not that he really needed to. But the paranoia was making him restless. He hadn’t heard any reports of android violence yet but that doesn’t mean it hadn’t happened. Aside from that, there were hundreds of human protesters in the streets, making him fear for the safety of his people. Even with the new law that Warren had past about deviants being considered free- people were still upset.

Androids and people were upset. Her caution to prevent a civil war seemed to be making the situation worse- and if push comes to shove he won’t hesitate to start a fight. He doesn’t want anyone else to lose their life.

With a sigh he pushed himself away from the window and returned to the desk, sitting back down in the old, rather uncomfortable chair and picking up the same page he had just had, looking it over and moving onto the next. Most of the things Josh had him reading were ways to gain public approval- a lot of it was interesting, but he didn’t think any of it would really help their cause.

He had hardly gotten through three pages when the door swung open, revealing a rather upset looking North- although that wasn’t an unusual sight. He set the paper down and looked cautiously at her, she folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

“Can I help you….?” He asked and she rolled her eyes. Kicking the door shut behind her as she entered further into the room.

“What are you going to do?” She asked, Markus looked at her, brows furrowed.

“About?” He asked, looking for further explanation.

“The virus. The protestors. The humans who think they can beat on us like we’re nothing-!”

“Did something happen?” He asked, cutting her off. North dropped her arms to her side, beginning to pace back and forth in front of his desk. It had been awhile since he last saw her- ever since she had started working with the DPD she was either there or with Lieutenant Anderson- much to his dismay.

“Well….” She ran a hand down her face. She seemed a lot more stressed than usual. “Don’t freak out-”

“I won’t. Just tell me.” Markus said, leaning forward in her chair.

“Your boyfriend got beat up.” She said, and Markus blinked at her, a frown pulling at his lips.

“My wha-” He cut himself off and quickly moved onto the more important part of that sentence- “What happened?”

“He was attacked in broad daylight!” She snapped at him, “We can’t live like this anymore. I’m sick of seeing our people get treated like garbage! Nothing has changed, Markus. Nothing!” She let out a shaky breath and Markus watched her with wide eyes as she continued to pace.

“What do you mean-?”

“I mean-!” She growled, stopping and slamming her hands down on the desk, making him jump and lean back in his chair as she leaned forward. “You need to quit sitting on your ass reading-!” She said, pushing a stack of papers onto the floor, Markus watched with a little remorse- he had just finished sorting those. “And refuse to let your people get treated like shit!”

“North-”

“No Markus! I’m tired of you telling me no!” She yelled, he could see her stress building, the tears she was refusing to let spill were making her shake. “We have to do something!”

Instead of responding, Markus stood up, rounding the desk and as soon as his arms opened North latched onto him, burying her face into his shoulder.

“Tell me what happened.” Markus said, as soon as the words left his mouth, North formed a connection, pushing a jumble of thoughts into his head, he saw everything he had seen, along with the feelings of anger and well hidden sorrow. As soon as her memories came to an end, she pulled away, stepping back and looking up at him with a deep frown.

“You have to do something….I don’t want to walk the streets and be afraid.”

“North-”

“Just listen- please.” North cut him off. Stepping back even further. “I thought that you were insane for trusting him. I thought he would kill you the first chance he got- he tried to even-”

“That was-”

“Cyberlife, I know. Shut up for a second.” She held up a hand and Markus shut his mouth. “I hated him. Just like how I hated humans, but then you convinced me to hear the detective out and now I’m stuck working with the very same people I hate- and what’s worse- I sort of like it!” She was shouting now, waving her hands around- Markus felt bad for being amused.

“Anderson isn’t as bad as the others- I mean there are still some assholes at the DPD don’t even get me started- but now- now I’m beginning to understand how the stupid deviant hunter feels! I hate him, but now I can’t bring myself to hate him because he’s one of us! And he got hurt- and….” She trailed off, beginning to pace again.

“And?” Markus asked when the silence lasted a minute to long.

“....And I hate to admit that I’m just as afraid as he is.” She said quietly. Markus wasn’t sure how to respond. He let out the softest of sighs before leaning against his desk. Luckily she didn’t seem quite finished.

“I’m still pissed at you for making me help that bastard...It’s all your fault that I’m- feeling!” She sounded genuinely disgusted by this. Running a hand down her face as she let out a huge sigh.

“Can I speak now?” Markus asked, and she glared at him but nodded anyway.

“Good.” He said. “First of all- I’m grateful that you helped my _friend_ despite the fact that you hate his guts.” North snorted, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t have to, and I certainly didn’t force you to-”

“Bullshit! You guilted me into it!”

“-Not my fault you felt guilty. I don’t control your feelings.” North sneered at him and Markus offered a wide smile. “But most importantly, North, is that you aren’t alone in feeling afraid. I’m terrified half the time, I know Josh is all you have to do is look at him.” This earned a chuckle.

“He always looks like he’s about to throw up.” She snorted out and Markus let himself let out a breathy laugh.

“Exactly.” He replied. “North- I’m sorry you’re so upset. We’re at a stand still, I can’t begin to express how annoyed and frustrated I am that we can’t do anything. I want to be out there, helping, making them listen to us but we can’t do that otherwise things will just get worse. I know you’re scared, I’m scared too, I’m scared of people, of this virus Kamski has found- I’m sick of it. To the point of being angry about it.”

“Then why not do something? It doesn’t take a genius to see that we’re in trouble. Sitting around will get us the same result as doing nothing.” North argued.

“I know.” Markus sighed, looking down at his feet. “I know.”

“We need help, Markus.” North said, she was much calmer now. “As much as I hate to admit it-”

“Kamski said he would-”

“Kamski is making us pay. That isn’t help.” North replied, smothering any form of hope he had left. Markus knew she was right- there was nothing they could really do. He was already stressed out and now North was yelling at him- plus if he were to be fully honest he was also fuming from what she showed him of Connor’s memories. A small part of him was bothered that she was the one to take care of him-

Which was stupid and irrational.

He seemed to be feeling that way a lot lately. He could blame it on the virus but- Kamski said it shouldn’t be effecting him- so he settled for it just being part of the stress he was feeling towards everything.

Maybe he needed to get it out.

“Well.” He said with a deepening scowl. “If you have any suggestions then I’m open to hearing them. But if you’re just going to sit there and tell me to do something-!” He was cut short by the shrill screech coming from down the hall, North’s mouth snapped shut- likely about to yell right back at him. Markus was sort of glad for the distraction- North would have destroyed him for so much as raising his voice- she really was scary.

Their conversation cut short and Markus pushed the office door open, running down the halls with North right behind him. The screaming had stopped but he could hear frantic footfalls just down the hall- at the first corner he had to skid to a stop at the sight of Alice. She crashed into him, arms instantly latching around his waist. Markus pulled her back and knelt down to meet her eyes- which were wet with tears.

“What’s wrong, Alice?” He asked, grabbing her shoulders, she whimpered under his grip, shaking her head. “You have to tell me Alice!” He said, cursing himself for his own harsh tone. He could see the big crocodile tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

“I was just-” A weak sob came from her lips and Markus felt his regulator- his heart throb.

“It’s okay.” He said, voice softer. “It’s okay, calm down. Take your time. Where is it? The thing that scared you?” He could hear more footsteps approaching by now, deep down Markus was hoping it was just a dog or something- although he would prefer it not to be. He was never a fan of dogs.

“I-It was down there- I was just. Luther and I were playing hide and go seek-” She began to bawl even more, Markus rubbed a soothing hand down her arms, whispering soft encouragements.

“North, take Alice while I go look.” He said, guiding the smaller android towards the strawberry blonde. She didn’t look pleased but didn’t argue with him, she reached forward and took the YK500’s hand just as Luther rounded the corner- looking a little worse for wear.

“What happened?!” He asked, immediately checking Alice over like a worrying parent.

“Something spooked her.” Markus said, nodding down the hallway she had come from. Luther seemed just as concerned as he felt. The two of them proceeded down the hallway, despite the newly working lights- it still seemed- for lack of a better word- spooky. Luther followed close behind him until they got to a wide open door at the end of the hall. Markus leaned around the doorframe to look inside and-

-and he recoiled instantly. He understood why Alice had screamed- he himself sort of wanted to scream. But he couldn’t, that wasn’t what a leader was meant to do. A leader was meant to remain calm- even in the face of horror.

There were two, unmoving androids laying haphazardly on the floor, thirium coated the floor- it was unsettlingly fresh. One was basically pulled apart- major biocomponents were pulled ripped from his body, the other was more put together- save for the huge dent in his head. Markus recognized both of them- he made it a point to remember each and every one of his peoples names. Jerry and Andrew. An EM400 and a AC700.

“What- what happened? Who could have done this?” Luther spoke up, Markus almost forgot he was even here.

“I don’t know I-” He trailed off. No, he did know. There’s no way it could have been a human that did this. Which meant it was another android- a deviant. Which meant that they weren’t safe here anymore, not with each other, not on the streets.

“Markus?” Luther asked, noticing his sudden silence. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Sorry. It’s best if we keep this on the low, I don’t want anyone panicking. You can tell Kara, I’ll let North Josh and Simon know….” He frowned, forcing himself to look away from the bodies. “We’ll have to get this...cleaned up.” The wording was- not the best but he didn’t know how else to put it.

“Of course….but…” Luther shifted uncomfortably. Eyes still glued to the scene. “What are we going to do?” He asked.

“You’re going to forget what you saw.” Markus replied, voice surprisingly steady. “And I’m going to move forward.”

 

**November 28th 2038, 3:21 PM**

The past few days have been rather surreal for him. Starting from the moment Markus drug him through New Jericho until now- and honestly, now seemed to be the weirdest part of all. Ever since North had removed the LED from his temple, Connor couldn’t help but play with the empty spot. It seemed- strange. He had never considered removing it until that moment- reliving the painful experience but with North present in his mind. While she was there- interfacing with him he got a glimpse into her emotions. He got to feel how strong she was.

North was- for the lack of a better term- inspirational. All it took were a few brief moments of feeling her mind in his own for him to realize that if he wanted to really understand how human emotions worked- he would have to learn from her. She was the perfect choice. Hank laughed at him when he pitched the idea. But he was used to Hank laughing at him at this point.

_“Good luck” he had said. “That girl is one brick short of a load”_

_Connor didn’t quite understand him at first- and Hank noticed when he went quite, searching up the meaning. Connor had to disagree, he didn’t think North was crazy. She was just, animated?_

_Hank laughed at that as well._

_It wasn’t until he was with North and Hank at the DPD that he realized what Hank had meant by a few bricks short. He was glad to spend more time with the Lieutenant, and when Connor had explained his want to learn from North, Elijah agreed, so long as he came whenever he was needed and avoided getting into anymore street brawls- although Connor had to remind him that in order for something to be classified as a brawl, it required both parties to be fighting- Elijah ignored him, naturally._

_Connor had been perched on Hank’s desk as the man sat there scrolling through the database and pretending to work- Connor knew he couldn’t read that fast- watching North wrestle with the coffee machine. For some reason Hank had her making him coffee for the next few days- something about a lost bet- but she couldn’t seem to work it. It was actually- how did Hank put it?_

_Painful? To watch?_

_She was growing visibly upset, and the few others that were in the break room had backed away, not willing to get to close._

_“Have you ever shown her how to work the coffee machine?” Connor asked, catching Hanks attention. The man snorted._

_“Hell no. This is way more entertaining.” He said, leaning back in his chair and looking across the room at North. “Besides. I can’t wait to see the fight that occurs between her and Reed when she breaks the damn thing.”_

_“That would be….” Connor paused in thought, trying to picture Reed and North going at it. The result was- amusing. “...That would end badly.” He settled._

_“Yeah but it’d be funny.” Hank agreed, letting out a long sigh. “Although they wouldn’t get far. Reed’s new partner.” Hank cackled at the word but continued. “Would likely put a stop to it. Can’t do shit around here without him stopping us. It’s probably a good thing.”_

_“You mean Nines?” Connor asked, and Hank gave him a strange look._

_“Is that his name? Reed keeps calling him…” He trailed off, looking at Connor for a long minute until clearing his throat. “Uh….Richard.”_

_“Richard?” Connor asked, eyebrows raised. “Does he like it?”_

_“....Sure.” Hank said. Shaking his head, Connor wasn’t sure why he seemed so uneasy._

_“Good.” Connor grinned._

_“Scared the hell out of me when he first showed up. I thought it was you at first but then I realized- nah, to tall. To strong. Tough jaw. Not so- you.” He said, gesturing to Connor. The Rk800 frowned and looked down at himself._

_“Thank you?” He offered and Hank laughed, hitting the desk and pushing away from it to stand up with a groan, Connor flinched at the sound of his joints popping._

_“Lieutenant, have you been eating well while I’ve been gone?” He asked, earning a glare from the man._

_“Don’t even start, asshole. I’m still mad about you stealing my beer!” Hank grumbled._

_“It was for your own good.” Connor said, lips twitching up into a smile._

_“Own good my ass.” Hank sighed. There was a crash from the break room, making both of them look over at the break room where- unsurprisingly- the coffee maker was now in pieces on the floor. North was glaring at them both from across the room. Stomping over it and towards them._

_“You both suck! You’ve been sitting here laughing at me the whole time!”_

_Connor and Hank laughed._

Unfortunately, Connor had to leave soon after that. Hank and North were called away to a case in the city, so Connor returned to CyberLife in hopes of helping Elijah find something new about the virus. But when he had gotten there, Elijah looked much more grim than usual, sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. Connor didn’t know if he should interrupt him. So instead he had just stood there, quietly.

Until Elijah finally spoke.

“Progress is truly a terrible thing. Isn’t it?” Elijah said, voice quiet.

“What do you mean?” Connor asked.

“I always laughed at philosophers who said that progression would lead to our demise. But now I think I see what they mean.” He sighed, leaning back in his chair- letting Connor see the bags under his eyes.

“Is something wrong?” Connor asked.

“Honestly Connor, when is something not wrong?” He laughed. “Sometimes, living in ignorance is better than living in truth. Means for less pain, disappointment…Absolute silence. Sadness. The image of death.”

“Jean-Jacques Rousseau. What’s wrong?”

“The thing about viruses, Connor.” Elijah began, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the desk. “They always have an origin. So I tried to trace it back through hundreds of files- which was the most dull thing I’ve done in the last five years- and managed to find something...unsettling.”

“What was it….?” Connor asked, growing nervous.

“I found.” Elijah snapped. “That whoever made this program is a cheeky bastard. I found an abnormal code made in August. It was put into a single android, in its original form- it read as ‘rA10.’ which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“August?” Connor asked, Elijah met his gaze, and Connor recognized the look in his eyes. He’d seen it in both Hank and Markus.

It was the look of compassion.

“August fifteenth, your birthday.”  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come scream at me on Tumblr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	16. Brave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, finally something a little less depressing to write. I really enjoyed this chapter- it's a little short but I'm still glad to get it posted.
> 
> Let me know what you think! And as always, thank you so much for the encouragement! <3

**November 30th 2038, 8:03 AM**

It was strange, Connor was so used to disappointment at this point that he felt numb to Kamski’s words. It was obvious what they meant- and he was hardly surprised. Over ten thousand androids had been awoken by him and over ten thousand androids now had this messed up code inside of them.

And it was all his fault.

Connor pondered this as he sat perched on a park bench- the very same one he had met Hank at all those days ago. The snow was falling gently from the sky, the flakes were big and there were so many he could hardly see the view over the bridge. They seemed to float lightly to the ground in slow motion- slow enough for Connor to easily count them as they fell.

 _34,801,003._ He thought to himself and pushed out a puff of air, feeling the tension building in his chest lessen as a small cloud of steam left his parted lips. The sight was comforting in a way- it was another trait he shared with humans. It made him seem human, and for a minute while he was alone he could pretend that was true.

Carefully, he reached up to his temple, fingers grazing the missing spot of his LED until they settled on the spot just above. The moment his fingers pressed down and the function he had never dared switch on hit him- he began to shiver where he sat. Sensitivity to the cold was not something he enjoyed but at the same time it offered a sense of partnership to the puffs of steam he had let out. The dress shirt he was wearing barely fought off the cold- Connor hadn’t grabbed his jacket that morning. He wasn’t sure if he simply forgot or had done it on purpose.

Both options seemed ridiculous.

Connor let his eyes slide shut as he tried to force his joints not to shiver so violently. It was strange- he knew the cold really had no effect on him but the sensation was painful. It was real. He couldn’t imagine having to live with this everyday- humans had it rough.

A melted cluster of snow fell from his hair and dripped down across his face. He felt it slide down his cheek until it began to pool at the edge of his chin, threatening to drip away. Shifting his jaw ever so slightly, the water dripped from his face and disappeared from his sensors- his attention shifted to the sound of crunching snow growing louder and louder until-

“Connor?”

“Good morning, Markus.” Connor greeted before he even opened his eyes. When he looked up at Markus- who was standing just beside the bench- arms crossing tightly across his chest, hugging his absurd tan jacket tight- he could see the concern deep in the deviant leaders eyes.

“Didn’t think I would ever find you...What are you doing here?” Markus asked, stepping closer to sit down beside him- but he paused and Connor could feel the others eyes dragging up and down his own body- the feeling made him return to counting the snowflakes.

“Are you….?” Makrus trailed off. Connor didn’t look but was tempted to at the sound of rustling. Before he could work up the courage, a heavy weight engulfed his shoulders. His head snapped up to see Markus stepping away and sitting down heavily on the bench next to him- minus his jacket. And surely enough when Connor looked down at himself he heavy material was draped over him.

It was warm- which puzzled him.

A heavy silence fell between them for several painful minutes until Connor finally realized it was technically his turn to say something-

“...Thank you.” He said, unsure if they had passed the amount of time that was socially acceptable to offer gratitude towards the other’s gesture. He pulled on the thick material of the jacket to settle it more comfortably around his shoulders- but it was a little big for him. This sparked a rather embarrassing feeling- jealousy maybe? He wasn’t sure.

“Of course.” Markus replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. The silence returned but for a much shorter span of time- Markus was the one to break it again. “I think.” He began, a small sigh escaped him. “I need to apologize to you.”

Connor frowned, apologize? Why would he? He finally looked back at Markus and was startled to see the deviant leaders hand reaching for him. He froze when gentle fingers brushed against his cheek, sliding up to where his LED was- should have been-

“North told me what happened…” Markus went on, not waiting for a response. Connor nodded quietly- feeling a flush of embarrassment coarse through him. How much had she told him? That Connor let himself get beat up? That he was to afraid to move? North didn’t like him very much so he wouldn’t be surprised-

“She was mad at me- although she usually is..” He chuckled but it transitioned to a nervous hum when Connor gave him a puzzled look. “I don’t like violence, Connor. But that doesn’t mean I want you to not defend yourself.” He seemed a bit confused by his own wording but shook it off. “I don’t want you to get hurt and….I don’t want you to be afraid of being who you are- what you are.”

“I-” Connor began but Markus held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Hold on.” He said. “I need to tell you this because it’s important okay?” He said, Connor watched as he began to shift uncomfortably, turning to face Connor fully. “I showed you my experience in the junkyard- that was the moment I decided that I didn’t want to be an android anymore- When I woke up I couldn’t remember who or what I was and sometimes- I miss that feeling because back then I wasn’t so ashamed. I know that sounds bad- but it’s true.”

Connor watched as he took a shaky breath, pulling his gaze away from Connor to look out over the bridge. “I wanted so badly to be human because that way I wouldn’t be treated like garbage. I removed my LED so I could pretend to be something I wasn’t. I removed it so I could stop being afraid. But now that I’m here- I wish that I hadn’t.” Markus was turned away now, Connor watched with slight alarm as the elder android obviously wiped at his eyes before turning to look back at Connor.

“The longer I knew you the more I began to admire you.” He said, lips quirking up into a small smile. Connor felt his own lips part in surprise. “Every other android I knew removed their LED as soon as they realized they could- or just when they saw I didn’t have mine. It was a little disheartening- they saw me and thought they were looking at a brave leader but I removed it because I was a coward. But you never even considered it- until now. And I blame myself for that.”

“Why would you- I-” Connor began but stuttered to a stop, unsure of what to say. He watched as Markus began to pat down his pockets, reaching into one as he continued.

“Being an android shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. We have fought so hard to be recognized as our own- free people but there is nothing obviously different about me then any human- you on the other hand…” He said, reaching for Connor’s hand. Connor let him take it, a little afraid to look away from Markus’ intimidating gaze, he felt the weight of something small fall into his open palm.

“You are the one I aspire to be like someday.” He said, taking his hands away. Connor looked down at the small object in his hand and was surprised to see it was an LED- but it wasn’t his. He had washed it down the drain the first chance he had gotten.

“This is…” He said softly.

“Mine, if you can believe it.” Markus laughed to himself, hands digging into his pockets. “I went back and found it. North said yours was gone- I figured….We’re the same model so it should be compatible. You deserve it more than I do…”

“Oh…” Was all Connor could manage. He traced his thumb over the dully colored disk, it was heavy in his hand despite how small it was. He wasn’t sure what to say- if Connor were being honest he had felt a bit of regret the day after North had removed the LED. He felt incomplete without it, but the fear had completely overtaken him in the moment.

Could he really put it back in?

“Also. You have several people looking for you.” Markus spoke again, changing the subject. “Why is that?”

“I suppose I have been out here awhile…” Connor said.

“Kamski came by Jericho looking for you, as well as Mr. Anderson-” Connor fought to keep the smile off his face at the way Markus addressed Hank. “-they were both very worried. And I was to when I heard you were missing.”

“I’m sorry. I just lost track of time-”

“Why are you out here, Connor?” Markus asked, making Connor’s voice die out. Why was he out here? Well, if he were to be honest….

“I just wanted a chance to forget...I don’t suppose Elijah told you anything-?” Connor asked, looking back out towards the bridge.

“No. Just that he hadn’t seen you for two days. Is something wrong?” Markus asked, leaning back on the bench and draping his arms out so they rested across the back. Connor looked at him from the corner of his eye- Markus had his eyes closed, leaning back comfortably. Snowflakes began to powder his face and stick to his eyelashes. He looked comfortable- and Connor couldn’t help but tell him the truth.

“Elijah believes that this virus was originally put in my codes when I was first created on August fifteenth.” He explained, flashes of that day coming back to him- the little girl- Daniel.

This made Markus’ eyes snap back open, he looked at Connor in concern.

“So you’re…?” He asked and Connor nodded.

“All those androids I woke up- they’re all in danger.” Connor explained. “You say that I’m brave but- that isn’t true. I’m terrified and unable to do anything correctly. I appreciate what you did- showing me how happy they all were-” Connor thought back to his tour of Jericho- cheeks flushing when he remembered what else occurred that day. “But it’s because of me that they now have to live in fear.”

“Connor.” Markus said, sitting back up. “It isn’t your fault-”

“I know.” Connor replied. “That doesn’t mean I’m not scared. You’re much braver than me, Markus.” He said, squeezing the LED that was still in his hands. “Honestly I’m glad it’s me, at least we know now.”

“Honestly.” Markus laughed. “I would be less afraid if it were someone else.”

“Excuse me?” Connor asked, looking over at Markus with wide eyes- was he afraid of him? Connor wouldn’t blame him-

“Let me explain I-” Markus laughed- it was a nervous laugh. “I’m simply- terrified that you’ll be hurt because of this. Is it selfish of me to wish it were someone else in your place?” He asked, Connor stared in surprise before a frown began tugging at his lips.

“Of course it is.” He replied. “Although I suppose I appreciate the sentiment…” He mumbled out, knowing for certain his cheeks were dusting blue. He heard another huff of laughter from Markus when he looked away.

“In any case.” Markus said after a brief pause. “I think it’s best if you get back home. You’ve got a lot of people worried about you- including North if you can believe it.” Markus said, going to stand up but Connor reached out, grabbing his wrist so he wouldn’t go.

“Before you go-” Connor forced out despite his nervousness. He looked down at the small disk in his hand and back to Markus, biting down on his bottom lip. “Would you...help me?” He asked, Markus took a moment to process before his face melted into a relaxed smile- something Connor was beginning to see more often. The deviant leader sat back down on the bench and took the LED from Connor’s hand. Connor had to shift on the bench to face Markus completely since the LED went on his right side.

“You’re sure?” Markus asked, and Connor nodded, closing his eyes and letting the skin on his temple retract, revealing the empty spot where the LED should be. Markus took Connor’s chin gently with one hand and tilted his head further to the side. Connor felt a light pressure on his temple as the other android put the LED into place- it snapped in, and Connor felt it begin to sync with his systems.

RK200 - compatible.

The colors switched from red yellow and blue until settling there, Connor could feel Markus’ fingers lingering by his temple, sliding down his cheek. When Connor opened his eyes- Markus was dangerously close.

“That’s much better.” The deviant leader said quietly, eyes sliding from the newly inserted LED to roam across the rest of his face and- Connor noticed with embarrassment that the other androids eyes paused for a second to long on his mouth.

Connor considered his next actions carefully- he had seen situations like this before- mostly on the television. Hank would never admit it but he watched an unhealthy amount of romantic comedies- and Connor was a little scared at how similar this situation was to one.

Connor bit down on his bottom lip, which just drew Markus’ attention back to his mouth. Something other than fear pooled inside of Connor and the only thing he could think of to do was to let his eyes simply fall shut.

The hand on his chin loosened and slid down to his neck and Connor felt himself be pulled forward until there was the softest of brushes against his lips- although it disappeared rather quickly. Connor’s eyes opened cautiously to see Markus looking a little nervous- Connor leaned forward until his forehead pressed against Markus’ own. That seemed to be all it took for the deviant leader to regain his confidence because before Connor could do anything else Markus surged forward, their lips pressing together.

At first Connor was worried- because he didn’t really know what to do. He had never had the need to kiss anyone. Sure it was in his programming if- for some reason- it could aid in an investigation- but the situation had never happened.

But- Connor discovered- kissing Markus was rather pleasant. The other androids hands were light against his skin- a soothing presence. The kiss wasn’t forceful, nor was it messy. It was simply just a comfortable weight against his lips. Connor felt Markus pull away slightly only to return once again, this time the other android pushed a little further, and Connor allowed his lips to part just enough for Markus to tug Connor’s bottom lip between his teeth until they pulled apart.

They sat there, noses pressed together for a long minute until Markus pulled away entirely. Connor opened his eyes once again, watching as he stood up- looking a little ruffled- Markus smiled down at him and reached forward, setting a single finger on the bridge of Connor’s dark framed glasses to push them further up his nose. He then offered his hand to help Connor up- and for once, without hesitation-

Connor took it.

 

**December 2nd 2038, 12:21 PM**

“Markus, we can’t just hide something like this from the rest of the group.” Simon said, pacing back and forth in the office that was now apparently Markus’ main space to work- wonderful. “They deserve to know.”

“Telling them will just cause panic, Simon. I’ve already contacted the DPD, they have it under control. Plus Kamski is going to figure out a way to massively block the virus and hopefully get rid of it for good.” Markus argued from where he sat in his desk chair. “They’re sending over a detective right now.”

“Is it North?” Josh asked and Markus shook his head. “No, I asked but she and Lieutenant Anderson are busy with something else.”

“Have you at least moved the bodies?” Simon asked, sitting down heavily in the arm chair by the window- Markus didn’t remember putting it there, Josh must have done some decorating while he was gone.

“We were asked not to. It is a crime scene…” Markus replied, folding his arms on the desk. “I know it’s hard Simon, but it’s best if we just do as they say.”

“They’ve been there for days, Markus! Everyone probably knows, it’s not like you can keep them away from that area forever.” Simon grumbled- which was strange for him.

“I know….I don’t like it either.” Markus replied. The room went quiet- Simon sat there with a deep frown, eyes focused on the window to his left. Josh looked like the silence was making him uncomfortable until the door was pushed open rather violently- revealing a rather smug looking North.

“Wow.” She said right away, looking between the three of them. “What’s with the doom and gloom?”

“North? I thought you said you were busy.” Markus said, standing up.

“Oh we are. The old fart hasn’t slept in like, two days so I’d be careful what you say around him. We tagged along because….Well. We felt bad sticking you with Reed.” She said, peeking out the door and then back to her friends. “Everyone’s in an extra pissy mood because apparently a suspect they’ve had under a watchful eye for like, ever just walked.”

“Are you even allowed to be telling us this?” Josh asked and North took a moment to process that before a look of horror flashed across her face.

“Shit- don’t tell anyone I said that.” She said. “Anyways. I took the liberty of showing them the scene already if you want to. You know, join us.” She said and Markus nodded, following her out the door with the others.

“Have you heard anything from Kamski?” North asked as they walked down the hall.

“Not really.” Markus responded. “He’s aware of what happened here and said he’d contact us with anything helpful but I highly doubt he cares about us at the moment.”

“Yes, why would he care about his creations?” North asked with a scoff, rounding the corner to see a small cluster of officers standing down the hall. Among them Markus spotted the man he recognized to be Reed. What surprised him though-

“Hey Dickface!” Reed shouted, followed by a collective groan among the officers, “Don’t stick random shit in your mouth it’s disgusting!” He finished and Markus stared with wide eyes at the android who stood from a crouch- passing him in height.

It was Connor but- it wasn’t Connor?

“Don’t drool it’s impolite.” North snickered next to him and Markus frowned at her.

“Shut up.” He snapped back.

“Whatever.” She chirped and sped up, walking past Reed who was now bickering with the tall Connor who looked impassive and- slightly annoyed. Markus scooted around them as well, slightly intimidated by the scary looking Connor 2.0. When he got around them, he saw North had come to a stop next to Hank and-

He could feel the stupid smile spread across his face before he could stop it. North rolled her eyes skyward.

“Greetings, Markus.” Connor said from his spot next to the Lieutenant, who indeed looked rather grumpy.

“Good afternoon, Connor, Lieutenant Anderson.” Markus said with a smile.

“Howdy-fucking-do.” The Lieutenant grumbled. “Skip the pleasantries I haven’t slept or had a decent drink in the last thirty hours.”

“Perhaps we should return home, you are quite unpleasant when you haven’t slept.” Connor chimed in. “And people your age do tend to have more trouble sleeping well, so any time spent is valuable.”

“Did you just call me old? You little shit!” Hank grumbled, slapping the back of Connor’s head. The android seemed pleased with himself despite this. “Just- nevermind. Robo-Jesus why don’t you tell us what happened?”

“Robo-what?” Markus frowned and North snickered next to him. “Right- well there isn’t much to say. We found them on the 27th, North and I were….talking.” He said- boy did he sound like an idiot.

“Correction, I was yelling. You were listening but somehow still managing to piss me off-” North cut it.

“Yeah okay, shut up.” He said, “Alice found them. She screamed so we ran to her and found this. The only other people that know are Josh, Simon, Luther and Kara. The two androids were EM400 and AC700 models.”

“And you haven’t touched them?” Hank asked and Markus nodded. “Good. Connor- do your shit but I swear to god if you lick anything-”

“I’ll try and refrain, Lieutenant. Besides, I believe Nines has already done so.” Connor said, stepping past the Lieutenant and leaving the group to join the other two. Markus watched him step up to Reed and the other Connor- Nines? The two hardly noticed him approach.

“Hey. Hey!” Markus’ head snapped back to the Lieutenant who was looking even more annoyed. “Try and keep it in your pants while I’m here.”

“I- what-?” Markus stuttered, watching in horror as the Lieutenants frown slowly lifted into an amused chuckle.

“Relax kid. I’m just yankin’ your chain.” He said and stuffed the tablet he had been taking notes on back into his jacket pocket, looking past Markus he walked over to the two bodies. Markus shot a look to North who was fighting not to laugh. They both joined the group around the two bodies.

“-lay off robo-cop. I don’t need your help. Nor do I need dumb and dumber over here. When will you two learn to keep your noses where they belong?” Reed said, looking a bit more than put off. “And you- thought you’d be gone after you got grandpa here shot.”

“Oh shove it, Reed. That stick up your ass is really wedged in there ain’t it?” Hank chuckled and gestured to the bodies. “What’ve you got, Connor?”

“They were both killed by a third party, the identity of whom is likely to be an android- with a probability of 87%.” Connor explained.

“89%” The other Connor- Nines?- cut in. Connor looked up at him and actually _smiled._

“The damage to them- despite being rather gruesome- is messy, done quickly. It’s likely the killer was panicked. It also appears that the androids were both dead long before any limbs were removed….” Connor explained, looking at the bodies with a hint of sadness behind his eyes.

“Damn...I’ve seen some nasty shit before but this is terrible.” Hank mumbled and Markus couldn’t help but agree. The sight had made him sick- it still haunted him when he closed his eyes.

“I recommend interrogating each of the residents.” Nines spoke up, all of the other detectives- even North- looked at him with mixed emotions.

“Right….How many of you are there?” Hank asked.

“Over a thousand.” Markus said. There were more- but many androids had chosen to find their own place to stay. More and more moved on from Jericho everyday.

“Right. That’s not happening.” Reed snorted and Nines frowned at him.

“Why not?” He asked.

“Because that’d take days. I need to fucking sleep! You may not understand that- but it’s a human necessity!” He grumbled.

“Then you can sleep. I will interrogate them.”

“Like hell you are! This is my investigation!”

“Our.”

“You’re a fucking p-”

“OKAY. Shut up, both of you!” Hank cut in, the two looked at him, both scowling. “You’re worse than two year olds. We’ll take turns so Reed, go home and sleep your pissy mood away. I’ll stay here with Nines.” The last part came out a little depressed- Hank looked like he wanted to cry.

“North and I will get you something to eat, Lieutenant.” Connor spoke up with a smile.

“When you say food, you better mean food and not some nasty green shit.”

“It’s called lettuce, Lieutenant, it’s good for you.”

“You know what’s good for me? Being happy- and quit that, asshole.”

“Quit what, Lieutenant?” Connor asked and Hank rolled his eyes.

“Be fucking nice to me. I’ll be spending a lot of time here- and if you want me to be nice, I need greasy goodness.” The Lieutenant said with a raised eyebrow. Connor opened and closed his mouth, LED spinning yellow as he stared at Hank. The two of them were having some form of telepathic conversation- despite the fact that Hank was human and most definitely couldn’t open a network.

“Fine.” Connor eventually said and Markus was pretty sure that was the most defeated he had ever heard him sound.

Connor and North left, along with Detective Reed- although with quite a bit of groaning. Markus led the Lieutenant and Nines to the main hall upon their request. Hank wanted to “take a look at the goods.” as he put it.

“Oh, Jesus Christ….” He whined when he saw the large group of androids milling about- Markus didn’t have the heart to tell him there were more littered about.

“I’ll do my best to get everything sorted ahead of time so this is easy for you.” Markus said, and Hank simply grunted in response.

“If someone told me a few weeks ago that I’d be here….” Hank said, shaking his head. “I’d’ve laughed….Boy do I wish I could laugh right now.”

Markus chuckled, this was going to be a rather entertaining few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Connor totally still has Markus' jacket and yes. Hank definitely saw it and made fun of him- as all good dads do.


	17. What do we do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes.

**December 4th 2038, 8:08 AM**

“Good lord this place is really a dump isn’t it?” Elijah’s voice rang out from across the courtyard of New Jericho. Markus whipped his head around and indeed found the CEO of Cyberlife tip toeing around various bushes and piles of garbage that the androids had been cleaning up ever since they first arrived. The damage to the old abandoned building seemed endless.

“Elijah, some find it offensive to say things like that.” Chloe spoke up from where she stood beside him, helping him step around a particularly large pile of leaves- the sight was quite humorous. On his other side was Connor, who was once again dressed up to match Chloe- who was in a short black skirt that Markus felt a pang of sympathy for- it was below freezing. She must not have her sensors on. Otherwise their clothes were rather simple, black bottoms with light grey sweaters and black scarves. Markus did wonder why Kamski had an affinity to making them match-

it ikred him to think that they were being used as dolls.

“Well, obviously I could care less about feelings.” Elijah retorted just as they came to a stop in front of Markus. Markus had just left from a meeting with Lieutenant Anderson and Detective Reed- who had come up quite empty after talking with every android at New Jericho- which impressed Markus quite a bit. Nines had been obviously frustrated by finding nothing, so Markus got the idea of asking for Elijah’s help.

Hopefully it worked. The stress was eating its way through him every second.

“Hello, Mr. Kamski, Chloe, Connor.” Markus said, smiling at the three of them. “I appreciate you doing this-”

“Yeah- skip the pleasantries. I’m a busy man, I have things to do other than mingle.” Elijah replied, pulling a tablet out from the bag slung over his shoulder. “This shouldn’t take to long. You said everyone is already gathered up?”

“Ah- yes, in the cafeteria. Can you really detect the virus?” Markus asked, following behind Kamski as he began to walk towards the large double doors, all the while typing at his tablet.

“No, I thought I’d come all the way out here in the snow to play a rousing game of hide-and-go-seek.” Kamski replied, earning another scolding from Chloe. “Yes, I can now since I have the living copy of the original code, it was simple.” He said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Connor- who had fallen into step with Markus.

“Right…” Markus replied, opting to not ask Kamski any more questions for fear of the man just up and leaving- it seemed like he didn’t leave his home often and lacked any real form of proper conversation.

Markus looked down at Connor, who was looking straight ahead- his hair wasn’t as slicked back as usual, a few curls were hanging loosely in his face and he appeared to be slightly annoyed by them- every few seconds Connor would reach up and brush the offending hairs off his forehead but they just fell right back into place. Markus couldn’t help but snicker quietly at the sight.

Connor must’ve heard him though, because he gave Markus a sideways look, lips pulled into a frown and eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

“What?” He asked, and Markus shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing!” He said with a smile, but Connor didn’t return the gesture, instead he looked away from Markus and didn’t make an effort to continue any conversation- which Markus wasn’t bothered by. Connor didn’t seem like the type to hold friendly small talk- he only spoke when he really needed to, which was quite refreshing. Most people couldn’t wait for their turn to speak and Markus was forced to listen to constant jabber.

Yes, Connor was pleasant company.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Connor found his company enjoyable- in fact he would really like to know what Connor was thinking at the moment. After the other day Markus had been only a little panicky. He should probably get the detective to talk to him about...it. But there were more important things going on.

“Connor.” Elijah called, breaking Markus’ train of thought and waving the brunet over. “Let’s get started then- I would really prefer to be out of here before lunch.”

“Of course.” Connor said, Markus watched as the detective- as well as Chloe- split off from each other and began to interface with each individual android, Markus felt his eyebrows climb as they made quick work of each of the very confused looking deviants.

“What-”

“All the information is set to transfer to this.” Kamski said, lifting his tablet as he took a seat at one of the tables, Markus peered over the mans shoulder at the screen- thousands of patches of data were filling the window. “As soon as the code appears I’ll know and we’ll have your rouge. Although- might I say I doubt it’s here anymore. It’s either dead in a ditch from self destruction or out killing more people.”

“Why wouldn’t it hide itself-?”

“Because.” Elijah sigh, turning to face Markus with a grim look on his face. “It doesn’t know how to hide- or feel anything at all. The virus shuts down all other functions except for aggression- it’s like a bomb. Once it’s stress reaches 100% it’ll kill whoever is nearby- and then itself. You saw what happened to Connor 2.0.”

“2.0…?” Markus asked, brows furrowed.

“The HK400. Connor named it after himself- quite a touching story.” Kamski explained. “It hit maximum stress and killed itself- dug his fingers into his own skin and ripped it open-”

“I remember now, thanks.” Markus said, feeling a wave of nausea take over him. He remembered that quite vividly- Connor had taken it hard and Markus could still the poor detective’s tears on his neck.

“Point is, you’re probably wasting your time here. If you want to find the infected deviant, you’ll have to do a wider scale search- which would be painfully difficult. But you….” Elijah looked at Markus with a rather unnerving smile. “You are quite special, aren’t you?”

“You’re the one that made me- you should know.” Markus said with a frown.

“Well. I made you to evolve- I didn’t predict you could have a freakish ability for mass telepathy.” Kamski said with a snort.

“Only if I can see them-” He stopped when Kamski shook his head. “What?”

“Haven’t talked to our resident detective about his trip to CyberLife?” Elijah asked, and Markus shook his head, glancing at Connor who was looking particularly confused- he spotted North hovering by him as he interfaced with androids.

Great.

“No…” He admitted. He hadn’t asked- because Markus knew something happened to Hank in that tower and he figured asking would be quite insensitive-

“Well, according to him.” Kamski said. “He could hear you singing.” Markus looked back at Kamski with wide eyes, he had? That was miles away- and if Markus was being honest he hadn’t realized he was projecting the song over a channel. He was so stressed out in that moment the first thing that popped into his head was the song he had heard Lucy sing so many times at old Jericho.

“He did…?” Markus said, looking back at Connor who had paused his work entirely to speak to North. His face screamed uncomfortableness.

“Yep.” Kamski said. “I dunno what that’s about- maybe you two are just more connected because you’re both in the RK series- but I doubt it.” Kamski snorted. “Not like the PL’s have special bonds. My best guess is that everyone heard you- which means you can probably do it again and capture thousands of androids codes at once for me. We can isolate the infected androids.”

“If Connor is the source then-”

“Excuse me?” Elijah snapped, cutting Markus off. “What makes you think that?”

“He...Told me?” Markus said, feeling a little bit in danger under Kamski’s hardened gaze. The man’s eyes narrowed even more for a brief second before his lips pulled up into an even more unsettling smirk.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Markus repeated, “Uh- if Connor is the source, that means thousands of androids have this virus-”

“Oh I believe all of the Androids in Detroit have it by now- but it’s just not active yet. We’ve got no idea what triggers it. If I could test it…” Kamski trailed off and Markus glared at the man.

“No. I won’t let you torture an android for an experiment.” He snapped.

“Torture?” Kamski snorted. “You’d rather hundreds of androids self destruct for an unknown reason than let one- willing sacrifice die?”

“Yes.” Markus said without hesitation.

“...Interesting.” Kamski said, looking away from Markus, Markus followed his gaze to Connor- who was- much to Markus’ surprise, smiling quite wide at something North had said to him. The sight was infectious, and Markus found himself smiling like an idiot as well.

Unfortunately the smile didn’t last long- Simon burst from one of the side doors, eyes wide and the poor android looked like he was about to pass out as he came up to Markus, hands shaking. Markus spotted Lieutenant Anderson, Detective Reed and Nines emerge into the room after him, Nines made a B-line to Connor.

“Simon? What’s wrong?” Markus asked, reaching a hand out to his friend, clasping his shoulder.

“The news. Check the news.” Simon said, and Markus’ brows furrowed, he looked past his friend to the old TV mounted on the wall and with a simple command the screen flickered on and the stressed news reporter’s voice filled the room.

_“.....what could have caused such a violent outbreak? For those just tuning in, there has been a large amount of attacks happening all around downtown Detroit over the past twenty-four hours. Androids have been attacking several humans and androids alike- some have been severely injured and there have been a total of four casualties confirmed today….”_

Markus felt the breath he didn’t need leave him- what? This had been going on for the last day and no one had known? His eyes were glued to the screen but the sound was muted to him as his mind began to process the information, what were they going to do? If people think Androids are dangerous it’ll completely ruin everything they had achieved so far. The little amount of trust they had would dissolve and they would be executed-

“Fuckin’ A.” Hank’s voice cut through the muted silence and this seemed to launch everyone in the room into a panic. A bunch of chatter suddenly filled the air and Markus felt overwhelmed by all the feelings of panic and fear being shot at him from all the androids. He brought a hand to his head at the sudden influx of noise, jaw clenched.

“Elegant.” Elijah muttered and stood up, tucking his tablet under his arm. “Perhaps we should have a quick meeting somewhere private, Mr. Manfred?” Elijah said, and Markus nodded to himself. Yes- that was a good idea.

Somewhere quiet.

He needed to _think._

 

“This is a less than savory situation.” Elijah said when Markus sat down heavily in his office chair. The small room was rather full- the three detectives, Connor, North, Simon, Josh, Chloe and Elijah were all packed into the room, all looking very different.

“Less than savory? Really?” Josh said and Markus would normally laugh at his hint of sarcasm but didn’t seem to have the energy at the moment. Instead he sat there quietly, trying to think of something to say.

“We need to do something before the government decides to kill us.” North said with a snap, making everyone look at her, she raised an eyebrow at them all. “Just saying…” She said.

“Why do I have to be here again-? I don’t give a shit what happens to-”

“Oh fuck off Gavin, why don’t you pull that stick outta your ass?” Hank snapped and Detective Reed glared at the man.

“Just because I’m willing to work with them doesn’t mean I’m willing to stick my ass out and carry motivational signs around.” Gavin replied, arms tightly folded against his chest.

“Willing? That’s bull.” Hank said with a laugh.

“Look here grandpa-!”

“Does this really matter right now-?” Simon asked, making both of the detectives quiet down. Gavin just huffed a sigh and went quiet, Hank looked ready to say something else but thankfully died down- Markus couldn’t handle more bickering. He could still hear the other androids voices in his head- fear was consuming his thoughts above all else and it was making him dizzy.

“Might I suggest meeting with President Warren again? If she is enlightened about the whole virus situation she might be able to prevent any...drastic measures.” Kamski said.

“Yeah right, she’ll just want to kill us all to get rid of the virus.” North scoffed. “That’s an awful idea.”

“Well, sweetie, do you have a better idea?” Kamski asked.

“Yes, in fact, I do.”

“Oh?”

“If they don’t trust us, we fight.” North said and that earned a collective groan. Josh looked ready to faint.

“North! We can’t. The whole point is to figure out how to not have any more death.” Josh said and North rolled her eyes skyward.

“We tried being peaceful and it’s come to bite us in the ass.” She argued.

“If you hadn’t, there’d’ve been a lot less people in this room right now.” Hank said, making the bickering die out. They all looked at him and Markus could see even North knew he was right- they had friends in the police force and that was huge. President Warren was more or less an ally- but this might ruin that rather quickly. She seemed rather worried about in-fighting.

Markus just had to pray to rA9 that she didn’t change her mind.

“Then what do we do…?” Simon asked quietly, and no one seemed to have any ideas. It was quiet for a good four minutes, everyone was looking at each other with a hint of helplessness. “Markus?”

“I...Don’t know.” Markus said honestly. “I need to think- if you would all just quiet down.”

“No one is speaking, Markus.” North replied.

“I know. Just-” Markus frowned, squeezing his eyes shut.

“You need to figure something out.” North pressed. “We’ll do whatever you want but just- we need to know.”

“They’ll listen to you, Markus.” Simon added.

“Not to pressure you, but a decision sooner or later would be nice.” Kamski said, earning a chorus of agreements and Markus felt his patients wearing thin. Why did it have to be him? He was just as clueless as the rest of them. How could he possibly know better than the rest of them?

They all began talking at once- making Markus’ head spin. There were questions being thrown at him left and right and when he tried to answer them his voice was drowned out by someone else responding negatively to any suggestion- they were growing louder and Markus was about ready to throw himself out the nearest window.

“Stop!”

“...” Markus looked up from where he was sitting with his head in his hands to see everyone had gone quiet, all of them were looking at a very nervous looking Connor. His eyes were wide, shoulders tense- but the nervousness seemed to be replaced by a look of confidence.

“Arguing does not bring progress. Can’t you see you are all making the situation worse? Markus-” Connor paused, feet shuffling. “-he doesn’t know what to do any more than the rest of us.”

In normal circumstances Markus would take offence to that- but right now Connor was like his saviour. When no one made any comments, Connor continued with a newfound sense of determination.

“If I may...suggest something.” He began. “We- you should make a public announcement about the virus. As far as the public is concerned, they are unaware that anything other than simple anger is causing these androids to attack people. They are unaware that it’s not the android's fault. I believe making them aware will create a sense of sympathy-”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Elijah cut in. “If we do that, I can open the doors of CyberLife to androids and isolate the code.”

“Reed and I can set something up with Fowler to increase city wide surveillance.” Hank suggested, earning a scoff from Reed.

“There aren’t enough of us to cover all of Detroit.” Reed said, and everyone looked at him in mild surprise- whenever he opened his mouth it was expected to be something inappropriate. “Once you’ve- what- isolated? That mumbo jumbo, We- err. Grandpa here can train androids.”

“Thats…”

“A good idea.” Nines said with a hint of surprise in his voice. Gavin glared at the android.

“I’m not a complete moron you know!” Gavin snapped, North and Hank both chuckled quite loud at that.

“That’s- a good idea yeah.” Markus said weakly, dragging a hand down his face. “Could you get us into the Stratford Tower, Mr. Kamski?”

“Obviously.” Kamski said with a snort. “I’ll have tweedle dee or dumb here inform you of the date.” He said- Markus assumed he was referring to Connor and Chloe who both looked slightly offended.

“Good...That’s good.” Markus breathed. “Thank you.”

“Please.” Kamski scoffed. “I would do anything for my greatest invention.” He said with a grin, waving for Chloe. “Let’s go Chloe, we have a lot to get done very quickly.” Chloe nodded- Markus had almost forgotten she was here, she hadn’t said a word the whole time. The two of them departed.

“Well, guess we’ll go down to the DPD then. Coming blondie?” Hank said, waving at North who rolled her eyes.

“It’s strawberry, get your eyes checked.” She sneered, Reed pushed off the wall and left without a word, Nines following behind him.

“Whatever. Let’s bounce.”

 _“Bounce?”_ North said, following Hank out the door. He could hear the detectives laughter fade as they left.

“Honestly, what else could go wrong?” Josh asked, sitting down in one of the chairs, as soon as he did, Simon slapped his arm, making the dark skinned android jump and shoot a glare up at the blond who jabbed a thumb at the door. Josh looked mildly confused- and honestly Markus was as well but had little energy to ask.

“Uhh.” Realization seemed to cross Josh’s face and he stood up. “Well, I’ll go try and calm everyone down then..” He said, standing up and followed Simon out the door. Markus waited until the door closed behind them to let his head drop down onto the desk in front of him, letting out a long sigh of frustration.

This was an impossible situation, wasn’t it? Why did this have to happen at the absolutely worst possible time? The deviant’s relationship with the humans was strained enough as is and now there were violent deviants roaming the streets? Four people were already announced dead? There’s no way they won’t be prosecuted. But Markus himself would be willing to go behind bars if it meant his people would be safe. He trusted his friends enough to be able to manage without him- they could do it. Right?

Well, maybe not North- she was, after all, scarily bloodthirsty.

“Are you alright?”

Markus jumped in his chair, head lifting off the table to see Connor standing across from him, a look of mild concern on his face. Markus had forgotten the android was in here- how was that possible? Hadn’t he seen him leave with Kamski? Or was he really losing his mind?

“I-” He began, the words _‘fine’_ at the tip of his tongue, but he forced the lie away. “Not really.” He said, dropping his gaze to the table. “I’m at a loss of what to do.”

“It shouldn’t but up to you alone.” Connor replied. “You have friends to aid in your revolution.”

“ _Our_ , revolution.” Markus corrected and saw Connor nod slightly. “Thank you, by the way. For stopping them.”

“You looked a bit overwhelmed.” Connor replied.

“I was.” Markus laughed, in fact- he still was. The voices were beginning to fade but were still present in his mind.

“May I ask why?” Connor asked, and Markus nodded.

“Of course you can.” He answered. He hadn’t really told anyone that he could feel the emotions of his fellow deviants- it didn’t seem very important and it wasn’t like it was a 24/7 thing. It was only when they were all experiencing the same thing- joy and fear alike. “Sometimes I can feel the emotions of the others- it’s like its radiating off of them. It’s only when the emotions are extreme- not constant.”

“So it’s like you’re interfacing with them?” Connor asked, head tilting to the side.

“I guess, yeah. But one way.” He said. Connor hummed in response, obviously unsure of how to proceed.

“Can I ask you a question now?” Markus asked, Connor looked at him with mild surprise, but nodded carefully. “Elijah told me you heard me. When you were at CyberLife.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific.” Connor said. Markus looked at him with a raised eyebrow- more specific? Had Connor heard him other times? That’s probably a question for later….

“When you were freeing the androids.” he specified and Connor nodded. He looked a little nervous.

“I did. I heard you singing- it was faint though.” He explained. “I had….been shot by another Connor Model, Hank had been injured as well and the consideration of giving up had crossed my mind. But I heard you- so I didn’t.”

“Oh.” Markus said lamely, looking at Connor who seemed ready to end this conversation- obviously whatever happened was a sensitive topic and as much as Markus wanted to know about this _other_ Connor model, he didn’t ask. Instead- he tried to change the topic.

“I don’t suppose you have my jacket with you?” He said and watched with slight amusement as Connor’s nose scrunched in thought before a look of pure embarrassment flooded his face- despite his best efforts to keep his face straight, the blue tint to his cheeks gave him away.

“I- do not. I’m sorry.” Connor replied, hands struggling to find the pockets hidden under the grey sweater before giving up.

“Don’t worry about it.” Markus laughed. “You’re welcome to keep it if you want.”

“Why would I?” Connor asked, lips tugging into a frown. “It’s hideous.”

“Wha-”

“And it’s to big for me, it would look stupid.” Connor went on. “And-”

“Okay! I get it, you don’t appreciate true fashion you don’t get to keep it, in fact, I want you to give it back as soon as possible.” Markus said, arms crossing over his chest. But he noticed the slight smile pulling at Connors lips and gaped at him.

“You’re messing with me.”

“Indeed.” Connor replied. “North said it would be funny.”

_Figures._

“Don’t listen to that witch.” Markus frowned. “She’s a terrible influence.”

“That’s what Hank said. Although I fail to see how she could be worse than him, she even swears less.” Connor explained in pure honesty. Markus couldn’t help but laugh at the androids obvious affection towards North- which was surprising due to the amount the female android hated Connor in the beginning.

The longer he thought about it- it really was quite amazing how far the detective had come. When Markus first met him he seemed very reserved- and although he was still quite reserved now, he seemed more in tune with his emotions- although Markus couldn’t say that for sure, maybe Connor was just good at hiding it.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a burst of pride when he compared the scared android he had first spoken to in Jericho to this one standing before him. A wide smile spread across his lips as he gazed at Connor- who was beginning to look a bit uncomfortable.

“You do that a lot.” Connor said.

“Do what?” Markus asked, blinking.

“Stare.”

“Well.” Markus laughed, “That’s because you’re nice to look at.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long break! But we return in full swing!
> 
> Come scream at me on Tumblr: http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/  
> Any questions? Feel free to ask! I love hearing your responses <3


	18. 480

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Chapter 18! We've reached like, 400 pages of text and I'm honestly in shock it's grown to be this long. I'm so proud of us!
> 
> This chapter was surprisingly easy to write, the words kinda just flowed.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for all the support, you are all so amazing and I love each and every one of you!

**December 5th 2038, 1:05 PM**

Elijah Kamski was not a fan of public events, it involved going outside, which was the absolute worst in his opinion. In fact- he hated all forms of socialization and he realized that there was only one major common factor: people.

Which is why he tended to avoid them. Elijah grew up loving seclusion which is part of why he and his moronic, cat obsessed brother didn’t get along so well.

Which- wasn’t a loss in the least if Elijah were being honest.

One of the main reasons he had invented Androids was so that he could, in fact, have the perfect companion. He didn’t really get along with- well anyone in his youth. Save for Amanda, but that was during his college days. High school was- unmentionable and his family life was less than stellar.

Hence the whole android thing.

Chloe was his first ever masterpiece and he considered her to be the best friend he had ever come to know. She passed the turing test with flying colors and he would be lying if he had said he hadn’t been nervous. He knew she was perfect- void of obedience but what the public didn’t know wouldn’t harm them- she would have passed no matter what. After so many failures before that...Well, Elijah had poured his heart and soul into her- and the result was beyond stunning.

He had always imagined what it would be like if androids became the superior race and ruled over humans- it was a fantasy. A day dream he often had. Sometimes he would share it with Chloe and she would join in his story, adding wishes of her own- such as having a fellow android friend. Of course there were the other Chloe's- but they were all obedient. Not like her. Kamski knew she wanted a deviated friend.

Which lead to Connor.

When Elijah had resigned from CyberLife after the “Incident” and the RK800 model was officially put on the project board he was less than pleased by the idea. His last official creation was the RK200, equipped with programs way beyond its years, was meant to be the only prototype- but he should have expected CyberLife to steal his design.

Kamski had watched the hostage situation live on television on August 15th- he saw Connor in action and watched him as he plummeted to his death and if he were to be honest- he laughed. The moment he saw Connor he knew that he was to human- to empathetic. So perhaps that’s why he allowed the Android Detective the opportunity to shoot Chloe point blank- he had to admit he was happy he hadn’t. Replacing Chloe was…..

Unthinkable.

The more time he spent with Connor the more he realized how perfect the android was- despite the poor boys inability to understand any form of….well anything. Sarcasm, flirtation, teasing, ect.

Chloe seemed to like him well enough as well. The two were usually joined at the hip whenever Connor was in the building and it was hard to join in on their conversations- and not knowing what they were talking about absolutely killed him.

Elijah Kamski thrived on gossip, and he would be damned if he didn’t get to be apart of android gossip.

But as much as he enjoyed the company of Connor and the freedom of his most beautiful creation (well, semi-freedom) this….was not what he had dreamed of all those years ago. The city of Detroit was basically up in flames- the humans were marching down the streets in protest against android validation- trashing buildings and smashing cars- quite the opposite of what Markus had done.

Elijah let out a long suffering sigh as he stared at the numerous screens displaying different scenes of the city. Besides the unsavory behavior of the humans there were also the rogue androids- infected by a virus spread by non other than the pillsbury dough-boy of CyberLife.

It wasn’t Connor’s fault at all of course- and Elijah wasn’t all that surprised when he traced the virus back to the android because it seemed like the poor deviant was always surrounded by problems.

Elijah genuinely liked Connor. His cluelessness made him loveable and despite the baby face he’s actually scary as all hell. But his growing fondness for the boy made everything so much harder- no matter what he did he couldn’t seem to find a solution other than the worst possible option- and that was most definitely not an option.

“What can go wrong will go wrong….” He muttered to himself as he leaned against his desk, running a hand through his loose, messed up hair. His office was filled with junk- random stuff Chloe and Connor had found hidden away in the tower’s storage was brought up to be shown to him with much excitement- Elijah couldn’t help but feel that warm, tingly feeling in his heart when he saw the genuine joy on the two androids faces-

It was disgusting.

But he loved it.

The duo spent a lot of time exploring the tower- there was a lot of random crap stored in the sub levels which actually surprised Elijah to no end- the old workers were a bunch of slobs.

“Elijah. Your appointment at the Stratford Tower is approaching.” Chloe said, peering in through the door leading to the small secretary space outside his office. Her hair was also loose- which was a rare sight. A soft smile graced her lips and Elijah grinned back at her, eyes lighting up at the sight of her.

“Yes, thank you Chloe. We should get going. Where is Connor?” He replied, plastering on the most enthusiastic voice he could given the- circumstances.

“Connor is currently with Lieutenant Anderson.” Chloe said after a slight pause- her LED flashing as she obviously reached out to the other android. “They are talking with the Captain as discussed, but he says he will meet us at Stratford Tower.”

“Alright.” Elijah nodded. That was good- Connor seemed to like Hank Anderson quite a bit and from what he had learned- one hundred percent legally mind you- that the man had lost a son and his wife- well. It made sense. Tragedy was always controlled by more tragedy. They were both a mess and fit together perfectly.

Or maybe Connor just fit with everyone perfectly- he was quite amiable.

Elijah pulled on his jacket and combed his fingers through his hair, pulling it back up into his usual man bun- which hadn’t gone out of season no matter what anyone said.

He and Chloe left the Tower- he let Chloe drive because he knew she enjoyed it, despite her terrible skill at it, which he found amusing given the fact that she was meant to be perfect. But everyone has their flaws he supposed. Connor was terrible at proper communication- quite like him in a way.

Stratford Tower had seen better days- for being the biggest recording station in all of Detroit Elijah had some pointers on the building design- and some possible upgrades. He climbed out of the car, feeling a little woozy from the poor driving performance done by his partner. Chloe got out as well, a smile plastered across her face.

“Are you alright, Elijah?” She asked, coming to stand next to him as he pressed a hand to his stomach, repressing a groan.

“Fine, darling.” He said, and her eyes brightened. Taking her arm, Elijah lead the two of them up the icy steps of the Stratford building. The glass doors opened and Elijah’s eyes lasered in immediately on the brunet android sitting on one of the benches, back straight, hands on his knees.

He really needed to learn to relax a little- Elijah chuckled and saw Connor’s eyes light up when he noticed the two of them enter. The android climbed to his feet in one smooth motion, scooping up his jacket into one arm- although after further eyeballing Elijah recognized it to be the tan disaster belonging to the deviant leader- would robo-Jesus be joining them today? He didn’t recall.

“Hello Connor, how was your trip to the DPD? Is my dear brother well?” Elijah asked as he got close to the android. He watched as a look of contemplation flashed across Connor’s face. Enjoying the vast array of emotions he saw- it was amazing how easy the boy was to read. Connor reached up and pushed the black framed glasses up his nose and pulled on the white shirt he was wearing- yes that was right. _The_ white shirt. Backless, sheer in all the right places. It had gotten damaged when the Hk400 tried to off Connor but Elijah had seen to it’s repair.

“Fowler seemed...open to the idea of hiring more android help. But he’s proceeding with caution, offering official positions could only make the rioting in the city worse. The humans are….quite unhappy. I’m afraid Fowler wants to begin detaining androids until they are deemed safe. I see the FBI getting behind that idea quite quickly. Hank has been in a foul mood lately- which makes me think Perkins has been in touch…” Connor said, trailing off.

“As for your brother.” Connor went on. “He seemed. Well?”

“No need to sugar coat it.” Elijah said, “lay it on me. All the dirty details.”

“Why would details be dirty-?”

“It’s- nevermind.” Elijah said, shaking his head. “Let’s go, wouldn’t want to keep the news anchors waiting.” He continued, pushing a loose piece of hair out of his face and went to the front desk where a human worker gave him a security badge- she was obviously nervous about Chloe and Connor. Kamski could see her struggling to keep her eyes anywhere but on them. He clipped the badge to his suit as he went through the security gates, Connor and Chloe close behind. As he passed workers milling about, he could hear murmurs and small gasps of surprise at seeing _the_ Elijah Kamski outside of his home- which, if any of them paid attention to his schedule or even cared they would know that he goes out every Thursday for lunch at Giovanni’s.

No, no one cared where Elijah Kamski was lurking- at this point he was a myth to the entire city of Detroit but that would change today. Today they’d be blessed to hear his voice over thousands of news stations whether they liked it or not. People need to be aware of this...virus infecting _his_ creation- and that once he found out who’s bright idea it was, they would be paying a huge price. He already had a small list of past CyberLife workers who hated his guts all lined up and ready- they were all looking quite guilty.

Maybe he’d let Connor have them. Although the damn android was getting nicer and nicer by the day- Chloe might be the better option. She packs a punch and Elijah learned that the hard way when he insisted she help him train in some sporting kick boxing- it ended with at least two broken ribs and a nasty black eye.

Chloe came out without a scratch, naturally.

“Elijah, do you know what you’re going to say?” Chloe asked, arm still tucked into his own. Elijah made a contemplative sound in the back of his throat, looking over at the two androids who looked at him with wide, ernest eyes.

“I have an idea. I don’t suppose Romeo will be joining us?” Elijah asked Connor and watched as the androids eyes narrowed.

“...Who?” He asked after a beat.

“Markus.”

“I’m unaware. I didn’t know he had two names.” Connor replied, eyebrows raised and Elijah slowly shook his head, not bothering to correct the mistake.

“Wonderful.” Elijah sighed, he didn’t really need Markus. But it was entertaining to watch the poor boy stumble over his words whenever Connor so much as breathed in his direction.

The elevator doors slid open after alerting them with a soft ding. Elijah stepped off and wandered down the halls to the next elevator that took them to the recording room. It was funny- ever since Jericho’s first visit to Stratford Tower, the security had gone up significantly, and there wasn’t an android in sight- although that was more due to the fact that nearly all androids were deviants now- there were still a few out there who weren’t- which was another weight on Markus’ shoulders. The poor android looked just about ready to pass out. He needs to relax somehow.

Elijah cast a glance at Connor, who was looking around rather impassively. He hardly even flinches whenever Elijah brought up the deviant leader- which he did often. Connor had even asked him once if Elijah had what Hank called a “crush” and Elijah almost choked on his wine- Château Cheval Blanc 1947. He had denied the accusations but he was still pretty sure Connor thought Elijah was in love with the Rk200, which would make his plan to meddle even harder.

“Elijah Kamski.” Rosanna Cartland purred his name and it sent an unpleasant shiver down Elijah’s spine as they entered the recording room. He chopped short blonde hair was perfectly combed and she was dressed her usual white jacket red shirt combo which he always gagged at. She came up to him, hands grabbing at his upper arms as she placed a wet, lipstick filled kiss to his cheek.

He tried not to grimace.

“Rosanna. A pleasure. How long has it been? Three, four years?” He replied pleasantly.

“At least.” She answered with a hint of snark, which had him fighting back a scoff. She had always had a thing for him- it was hard not to notice and all in all quite repulsive. “I see you’ve brought Chloe- the original? She’s still working?” Rosanna said, stepping over to stand directly in front of the blonde android, who stood with a smile spread across her lips.

“Hello miss Cartland. How are you?” Chloe asked, Rosanna chuckled at her but didn’t respond, she instead let her eyes roam across Connor’s face- or rather all of him.

“And this- another android?” She asked, “He is quite pretty as well. I see you have a taste for such things.” She said.

“Indeed. I only surround myself with the most desirable things- which is why I haven’t been here in awhile.” Elijah replied before he could really stop himself. Chloe elbowed him in the side and he flinched- but luckily Rosanna didn’t seem to catch the insult.

“You always were the funny one.” She said with an obnoxious laugh. “Well, we should get started.” She said, walking away. Elijah watched her go towards the large green screen and take a seat in one of the two chair setup- which he was not planning on occupying. This message would be short and sweet then he would be out of here before the weight of his words could settle in.

“God I hate these people…” He muttered under his breath.

“Hate is a strong word.” Chloe replied.

“Isn’t it redundant to use a deities name in vain when you do not believe in such things?” Connor asked and Elijah groaned.

“I _strongly dislike_ both of you.” He answered and pushed further into the room, his two assistance following like little ducklings- he fought back the smile at how absolutely adorable they were and went up to the producer. “Greetings.” He said and for a moment wondered who ever said that.

“Mr. Kamski- it’s a pleasure. Are you ready to get started?” The man asked, name tag flashing the name Bruce. Unfortunate.

“Yes, although I have a few conditions.” He said, and began listing off the many accommodations- enjoying the look on the producers face as he dragged on and on.

Humans really were fascinating.

  
**December 5th 2038, 1:35 PM**

_“Hello. And welcome to the Detroit experience.”_ Elijah Kamski’s deep voice filled the air and spread a strange sense of all throughout the streets. Markus stared at the large screen on display in downtown Detroit, hood pulled up over his head as it began to rain- just warm enough to keep it from turning to snow. Elijah was framed by a white background, the shot only showing his shoulders and above.

_“As some of you might know, my name is Elijah Kamski, founder of CyberLife and creator of all Androids. Due to recent events it has come to my attention that something is wrong with the newly freed android population….”_ He went on and Markus heard a few murmurs of surprise at the sight of Elijah Kamski- he hadn’t made an appearance in years. Markus shoved his hands into the pockets of his old green hoodie- trying to ignore the increasingly worsening weather and focus instead on the people around him- none of them seem to have recognized him much to his delight.

As he walked around the streets of Detroit he was no more than a human being- just like the rest of them. The thought made his lips curl up into a slight smile as he proceeded down the street, listening to the chatter as Elijah's words continued.

_“.....It has been brought to my attention that a strand of violent code has been released into the world and is the reason for the current attacks all throughout Detroit….”_ A few more surprised gasps filled the air, followed by curses and doubts- making Markus’ shoulders fall.

Why were humans so prone to think the worst?

_“They won’t listen._ ” North had said- perhaps she was right.

He pushed through a gathering crowd and continued down the sidewalks. This path was familiar to him- if he kept going he would reach the park he often walked through to reach Bellinis paints- which he did for Carl often. He rather enjoyed his trips through the parks, because once upon a time people and androids lived together, some in happiness-

Which made him think, had he really done the right thing?

Of course he had. There were unhappy androids- like North- his friends. They were afraid. But had that really changed?

_“....Starting tonight the DPD will be instituting a curfew for all humans and androids. All androids will undergo regular scans controlled by stationed Police officers and any who refuse will be punished.”_ Elijah’s voice cut through his thoughts like a knife and Markus felt his steps stutter.

Punished?

“Serves ‘em right.”

“They shouldn’t be allowed on the streets at all!”

“What are we going to do…?”

Voice filled his ears all at once, people began panicking and Markus could feel it in every part of him- not just the worry of the other deviants but the worry of the humans too- obviously the feeling wasn’t the same but their faces screamed so many different emotions; fear, anger, concern, pity.

_“....Please do not worry. Android and humans alike will be able to move forward and live in harmony- Androids were built to be the perfect companion and that has not changed. Freedom is simply progress- and progress cannot be stopped and should not be feared. CybefLife’s doors are officially open for service, and offers a place to be safe. Thank you, and farewell._ ” Elijah’s voice cut off and all the screens went black- quickly replaced by Michael Brinkley on CTN, ready with a response to the message broadcasted by Elijah.

The rain began to pick up and Markus watched as people began to scatter away from the different TV screens- some lingered to listen to Brinkley- but most of them went on their merry way. A mixture of voice, car horns and Christmas music filled the square as Markus continued down the street, chewing on his bottom lip. What could be done? Now they were aware but- would this really aid their cause? Connor had seemed to think it would and Markus did trust the detective-

Probably more than what was reasonable.

He sighed to himself, brushing those thoughts away and focusing on the task at hand. He had gone out mainly to see how people responded to the message but also wanted to go down to the DPD and speak with Captain Fowler himself- he trusted Lieutenant Anderson enough- mainly because the man scared him- but he also knew that he wouldn’t be able to let anything go until he heard the answers himself.

The sounds of shouting and angry car horns brings him from his thoughts, and Markus looks out across the park where one of the main roads is. There are cars lined up, each of the drivers were looking out of their cars, yelling angrily at- something. Markus followed behind a few other interested pedestrians to the side of the road just near the crosswalk. He squinted down the street and saw the cause of the sudden blockage-

An android was in the street just…..standing there. Markus watched as a few angry driver got out of their cars and began approaching the android and a sudden feeling a dread coarsed through Markus when the android didn’t connect with him when he reached out. Before he could protest, a rather chubby looking man grabbed the arm of the deviant, yanking. Markus pushed through the forming crowd and before he could so much as open his mouth, the android lashed out, grabbing the man by the throat.

Markus picked up his speed as a strangled yelp filled the air, followed by a bunch of panicked screams. More people swarmed but Markus pushed past them all, sprinting into the street.

“Stop!” He shouted- but the deviant wasn’t listening. He saw as a few reckless people tried to aid the choking man but they all fought with little result- perhaps just distracting the android for a moment.

When Markus reached the two, he reached out and latched onto the wrist of the android, forcing a connection to form and felt a wave of nausea hit him, his vision swam and his mind was filled with a panicked, crying voice. It made him freeze- unable to move.

_“Please! Help me!”_ The android cried out and Markus realized in that moment just how awful this virus really was-

What could be more terrifying than being trapped in a body that was no longer yours?

Markus was roughly pulled away, the connection ended and watched with blurry eyes as the infected android was knocked down and the man was freed- people began punching and kicking the fallen android and Markus felt each and every strike like it was his own body being struck. His arms were being held and he felt as if all his strength had left him, watching helplessly as the innocent android’s eyes slowly faded- all signs of life slipping away with each brutal hit.

“Wait….” Markus said weakly, he was dropped to the ground and a few people sneered at him- and his heart sunk as he saw the pure hatred in their eyes.

“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” One asked, while another squatted down in front of him.

“This isn’t just one of them. This is _the_ one.” The man chuckled. “Lookit his eyes.”

Markus looked past them and saw that the other android had been left alone- but the amount of blue blood staining the ground left him knowing the worst had happened- and based on the looks on these peoples faces his fate wouldn’t be much better. He clenched his jaw, feeling a spark of anger shiver up his chest and into his throat- but he forced it back.

He wouldn’t fight. Maybe this is what they needed. Maybe if they had their way with him- and he allowed it- the humans would let all their anger out. He would allow it, if it meant no one else had to get hurt. He hung his head in resignation, clenching his fists to keep his emotions in check.

“First you steal our jobs and now you refuse to serve us?” Another laughed. “You aren’t alive! You’re a machine!”

“Nothing to say?” Someone else sneered, and Markus tuned them out. Instead he listened to the sound of the rain- which had begun to grow more intense- much to his disappointment. He squeezed his eyes shut as a hand grabbed his chin, fingers digging into his skin with a bearable pressure- he couldn’t feel pain after all. The android equivalent to pain is the simple inability to move. When enough biocomponents get damaged, the world seems to run in slow motion until the world finally slips away.

He had interfaced with enough dying androids to have that feeling memorized.

Even with his eyes shut he could still see the flash of light, and branched for the booming sound of thunder that followed. As if timed for it- he was struck across the cheek, pushed down onto his side just as the crashing sound of thunder filled the air. His eyes reopened and he saw the world at an angle, face once again pushed into the ground, water beating down against him- but this time he heard every second of it.

It wasn’t the same.

He wasn’t broken.

Or was he?

“Jesus Christ, does no one watch the news these days?” Markus heard a long, exasperated sigh and let his eyes slip closed again- but only for a moment. The weight on his side lifted and he looked up to see Elijah Kamski himself standing above Markus, one hand wrapped around the wrist of one of the angry pedestrians, a scowl on his face.

His head whipped around at the sound of someone else falling to the ground and his eyes widened at the sight of Chloe- Markus watched as the crowd slowly dispersed- and looked past Chloe to see Connor crouched down next to the lifeless androids, fingers dragging through the blue blood and pressing to his tongue. His nose crinkled and he stood back to his feet-

“Elijah.” Connor spoke, quiet but clear. “It was infected.” He said, and Markus tried not to take offence to the word. _It._

Elijah turned, looking down at the lifeless body. There was a look in his eyes that Markus couldn’t quite pin-point. Sadness- maybe?

“It attacked us.” The man who had punched Markus snapped, wrist still being held by Elijah. “And this one tried to help it!” Elijah looked down at Markus, met his eyes and laughed of all things.

“Doubtful.” He replied, releasing the man's wrist and making a shoo-ing motion. “Leave before you wind up like your buddy over there.” Elijah said, gesturing the man Chloe had stuck, leaving him knocked out in the street.

“Chloe. The police, darling?” Elijah asked.

“I’ve already alerted them.” She replied, hands clasped behind her back.

“Wonderful.” Elijah said, stepping away from Markus and wandering over to the dead android- the car horns had stopped.

Markus sat up, but didn’t get to his feet. He stared across at the dull eyes of the android- a PC200, released in 2029 as a police android. Markus forced his eyes to shut and dug the heel of his palms into his eyes, flinching at the sudden crack of thunder.

A hand fell onto his shoulder, and Markus opened his eyes to see Connor knelt down in front of him, dark brown eyes wide and reflecting concern.

“Are you alright, Markus?” Connor asked, eyes roaming across his face- probably looking for damage.

“I’m fine.” Markus replied, “I just…” He let out a frustrated sigh, the storm was putting him on edge and making a bad situation worse. The sound of sirens were heard faintly in the distance. Markus reached up, clasping the hand resting on his shoulder. “Connor….Why do they hate us?” He asked, feeling his chest knot up. Connor stared back at him and shook his head slowly.

“I don’t know.” He answered- and Markus nodded.

“Neither do I.” He said quietly, with a long sigh he leaned forward until his forehead was planted firmly on the other androids shoulder, eyes squeezed shut as he willed himself to not cry- there was no need for tears. He didn’t need them- all he needed was to talk. To just say something- _anything_ he could think of.

“It’s all they do. Hate. I thought for so long that there was more to it- that they were capable of such beautiful emotions; joy, gratitude, generosity, hope or love! But I can’t see any of that anymore-” Markus’ voice hitched slightly, hands bunching in the soft material of Connor’s white shirt. “It’s their fault. They’re the ones that infected us- with this repulsive emotion.”

“....If you’re sad you cry. If you’re happy you laugh.” Connor said into his ear, and Markus recognized the words as his own right away. “You can’t control your emotions, but you can learn to enjoy them.” He finished, and Markus laughed bitterly.

“How can you possibly enjoy being angry?” Markus asked, he had once told Connor those exact words but now he understood how stupid he must have sounded. There was a long pause before Connor finally replied.

“Perhaps you can ask North. She seems to have it down to an art.” He said with no sarcasm, and Markus lifted his head off of the androids shoulder, eyes wide as he stared at the deviant- who showed no sign of amusement.

“You-” Markus laughed, “You’re right. I should ask North.” Connor nodded, and pushed himself up, offering a hand to Markus, who took it and was pulled up rather swiftly. He found his balance quickly and ran a hand down his face, trying to wipe away the gross feelings that had built up in his chest.

“Thank you, Connor.” He said after a moment, and Connor nodded at him. Offering a smile until his eyes seemed to light up.

“Here.” He said, holding out Markus’ jacket- which Markus hadn’t even noticed he was holding. Markus took it, looking at Connor with a raised eyebrow.

“You don’t….actually think it’s ugly do you?” He asked, gripping the fabric in both his hands. Connor watched him for a long moment before shaking his head.

“Not at all.” He answered eventually, eyes never leaving Markus- which made him quite nervous.

“Oh.” He said- unsure of how to really respond.

“Touching.” Elijah cut in- and Markus wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse. “Hate to break up the moment but Connor, we need to take this android back to CyberLife. See if I can figure anything out….” He said, trailing off. “Markus you’re more than welcomed to join us but you might-”

“No no. Robo-freak is coming with us.”

Markus looked past Elijah to see Gavin Reed standing over the dead android, Nines was next to him, arms crossed over his chest and staring right at Markus with a gaze that could rival Lieutenant Andersons. Although- when had the two even gotten here? The police car was parked on the side of the road and traffic was slowly but surely making it’s way past them- the scene cleared up almost as quickly as it happened. Another strange occurance of life.

“Robo-freak? That’s not even clever.” Elijah said, “Try harder.”

“Shut up, Elijah.” Gavin snapped back and jabbed a thumb at the dead android. “This needs to be taken in as well- actually all four of you need to come with us. There’s no fuckin’ way I’m letting you take a body to your freaky lab.”

“It’s an android- I built- what?” Elijah began to respond but his brother cut him off and the bickering began to build- Markus shook his head at them and glanced back at Connor-

Who was still staring at him.

“Uhm.” Markus shuffled his feet. “Yes?”

“Sorry.” Connor said. “You’re right though.”

“About…?” Markus asked and he swore he saw Connor smile.

“Staring. It’s an enjoyable action.”

  
**December 5th 2038, 2:20 PM**

Connor, Chloe, Nines and Markus were all sat at Gavin Reed’s desk, waiting while Elijah and Gavin spoke with Captain Fowler- the reason unknown to all four of them.

“Have Elijah and Gavin always been like this?” Connor asked Chloe, who was sitting to his left- Nines was on his right with Markus on the end.

“Yes.” She replied, fingers slowly untangling pieces of her hair. “As far as I know, Elijah and Gavin have never gotten along. Although they do interact on Christmas and birthdays.” Connor did a quick search of ‘Christmas’ and nodded slowly- a rather large holiday involving gift giving and celebration. Interesting.

Connor looked around the precinct and tapped his feet quietly. He was pressed shoulder to shoulder with Chloe and Nines- they all didn’t fit on the desk but Gavin had ordered quite sternly for them all to sit down- so when Nines sat down on the deks, the others followed. It was weirdly….awkward, sitting here. Connor was familiar with the feeling, he had felt it the very first time he had arrived at the DPD looking for Hank. And that was before he had deviated- now it was ten times worse.

His eyes lit up when he heard the familiar cursing of his friend and looked up in time to see Hank round the corner, coffee cup in hand. North was trailing behind him with a wide smile on her lips and Connor felt a pang of jealousy at not being able to work with them.

But that was fine.

It had to be.

“.....Do I even want to know what brought this on?” Hank asked when he spotted them, freezing in place. “Why are you at Reed’s desk? And why do you look covered in mud?” Hank asked, gesturing to Markus who had been deathly quiet the whole time.

“Because I’m covered in mud.” Markus replied dryly.

“There was an infected android in the streets of downtown Detroit. Markus was trying to help.” Connor explained.

“Detective Reed and I were close by. Markus was crying.” Nines supplied.

“I was not _crying._ ” Markus snapped.

“I punched someone!” Chloe cheered and all heads turned to her, a wide smile was stretched across her lips.

“Okay…” Hank said, “Where’s Reed right now?”

“He and Elijah are speaking with the Captain.” Connor answered and Hank nodded.

“Alright….You know what- I’ll pass on this one.” He said but paused slightly, looking at Connor as if taking him in for the first time. “What the fuck are you wea-” A pause. “You know what, nevermind.” He stated and stalked away to his desk, Connor watched him go with a frown.

“So…..crying?” North asked, kicking Markus’ foot.

“I swear to God North.” Markus snapped.

“God?” She asked.

“Just!” Markus drug a hand down his face. “I want to leave.” He groan into his hands and North let out a rather disturbing cackle.

“Beat it blondie.” Gavin snapped, coming up from behind with Elijah in tow- they both looked rather disgruntled.

_“Strawberry.”_ North corrected, but scurried away all the same.

“You’re all free to go- but the body stays here.” Gavin said and Elijah rolled his eyes.

“Come on Chloe, Connor. We have things to accomplish unlike some.” Elijah said, waving a hand at the two of them. Chloe hopped off the desk and Connor followed behind her.

“Actually- Elijah.” Markus spoke up, standing as well. “Could I….speak to you for a moment?” He asked, looking more nervous than Connor had ever seen him. It was rare to see the deviant leader so unsure. He always looked to have something of great weight on his mind but fear was never present in those heterochromic eyes.

It didn’t look right.

“Of course.” Elijah said with a barely contained sigh, waving for the deviant leader to follow him. Connor watched them walk away and stood beside Chloe.

“What did Fowler say?” Connor asked Gavin, who looked at him with a blank stare for a solid minute before letting out a sigh, pushing a hand through his already messy hair.

“Not much.” He answered, shaking his head. “Not fucking much, Connor.”

“Oh.” Connor said quietly, shuffling his feet. Chloe grabbed his hand as soon as he did and he looked at her with a grateful smile. Gavin sat down heavily in his desk chair and grabbed the tablet from his desk- likely pulling up a game of solitaire as Chloe and Connor waited for Elijah to return. It took at least another ten minutes until the man popped his head back in, waving for the two of them.

“Where’s Markus?” Chloe asked as they left the building.

“Gone.” Elijah said, fixing his jacket. “I sent him on a mission. We need to get back to the tower and figure out the next step.” He said as he climbed into the back seat of the car. Chloe and Connor looked at each other in silent question before Chloe decided she would be driving- the one time Connor had driven, Elijah had passed out.

“Elijah.” Connor asked, sitting down in the passenger seat. “What….is our plan?” He asked and caught Elijah’s gaze in the rear-view mirror.

“I don’t know, Connor.” He said honestly- and Connor had expected that answer. He believed it- but was also aware that Kamski was hiding something. He had to be. He had been acting abnormal the last few days and it was beginning to bother Connor to no end. Normally he didn’t care so much about not being told things- but this seemed big.

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence. Elijah was out of the car as soon as it came to a stop at the CyberLife facility and almost face planted in the snow as he scrambled up the stairs to the main doors. Connor and Chloe followed behind him- although slower.

When they caught up, Elijah was standing by the elevator, pressing the button- shoulders tense.

“Elijah.” Connor spoke up- and saw them tense even more. “You know. Don’t you?” He asked quietly.

“Know what, Connor?” Elijah asked, hands finding his pockets.

“How to stop it. The virus.” Elijah turned to look at him, lips pulled into a frown, his eyes fell to the floor as he let out a long sigh.

“What is it?” Connor asked as the elevator doors opened- but Elijah didn't step on. Instead he turned around to fully face Connor.

“It’s not possible.” Elijah replied firmly and Connor shook his head.

“Please tell me the truth.” Connor asked.

“No.” Elijah snapped and Chloe’s hand found Connor’s arm again- always there whenever his stress level so much as climbed a single percentage.

“Please.” Connor asked again- softer.

“You-” Elijah cleared his throat, rubbing a hand down his face with yet another sigh- everyone seemed to be doing that lately. “The whole strand- is connected. If I try and remove it from one android, it’ll self destruct because forcibly removing just a part of it doesn’t work. But if I- found the source….And got rid of it. I could delete it from all androids without an issue.”

“Then do it.” Connor said without hesitation.

“No, Connor.” Elijah said. “You’ve given up enough- I’ll find another way.”

“What if there isn’t? One life is not as important as others-” Connor said, hoping his voice remained firm. Dying was- not a pleasant thought to him. He had always been afraid of it. Ever since he fell from that roof- or when he took those shots for Hank- the feeling of being erased scared him to no end. To the point that he couldn’t even enter sleep mode.

He was to scared.

“You have to do it.” He said, “Before things get out of hand.”

“I can find another way, Connor. There’s always more than one way out of a situation. If you just give me time-”

“How much time?” Connor asked, “Or rather, how many more lives will be lost until you decide that mine isn’t worth it?”

“Thousands.” Elijah snapped, and Connor found himself at a loss- thousands? “You’re wrong about life, Connor. There is no one person that is more valuable than the other because everyone is valuable. No one deserves to die, and no one should have to die for the sake of others and I’ll be damned if that happens to you.”

“I-” Connor tried to speak- but there was really nothing to say. Or was there? Elijah didn’t want him to die. He didn’t want to die. But….He didn’t want anyone else to die either. In the last week he had terrible event after terrible event happen- but in the midst of it all he had gained several friends and-

Family.

And they were all in danger because of him. Hank could die and heaven knows the man didn’t value his own life that much. Chloe or Elijah could die- and in the event of one of them dying the other would likely follow because Connor had never understood the concept of love until he saw how they interacted. It wasn’t romantic- but it was love.

Markus could die.

“Twenty days.” He said evenly. “In twenty days. If you don’t find anything. I want you to kill me.”

“Connor-”

“Elijah.” Connor cut him off. “Promise me.” Elijah stared at him for a long, pregnant pause. Connor could see his jaw working and the gears turning in his head as he considered his answer. His shoulders slumped, and his eyes pooled with defeat as he weakly spoke his answer.

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have questions? Come scream them on Tumblr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	19. Make you feel my love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been so long and I'm so sorry! This chapter has been on my mind since I first started writing this story and I'm actually so glad it's finally out for reading. It took me a long time and I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I got myself a Connor jacket which I have been prancing around my house in 24/7 (it's probably not good) I'll be attending a comic con in March which I'm super pumped about and am considering going the full 9 yards or whatever and doing a full Connor cosplay. But we'll see.
> 
> I'll hopefully be updating more often now (I hope)
> 
> Let me know what you think! Thank you so much to those of you who have stuck around for so long.

**December 9th 2038, 11:04 AM**

There was little that Connor was concerned about nowadays. He had spent most of his time with Hank and North at the DPD. Elijah was constantly busy at Cyberlife, juggling both the responsibility of finding a fix to the virus and the new demands coming from President Warren in regards to a contract signed by Markus himself- one that a lot of people were surprised by.

President Warren expected androids to still be in production by the end of the year- androids that were obedient. It was difficult for Connor to comprehend- but at the same time he expected humans to be the same as they were before. Despite Markus’ best efforts to convince them of their consciousness, people remained the same and treated them the same as they did before.

The only difference was that now they just had to wait until the deviants died out; all the humans were doing at this point was humoring them until they shut down or wiped themselves out with this virus.

Which made Connor wonder if someone created the virus with that very thought in mind- and such a thought made him shiver with concern. Because if that were the case then whoever made this virus knew Connor would spread it- after all the original code was in him.

In the back of his mind Connor considered the possibility that it was someone from CyberLife. Perhaps if they tried to find the CEO that had replaced Kamski- they would find whoever did this. But according to Elijah, the man had gone missing the day of Markus’ demonstration. No one had seen him since.

Which meant that was a dead end.

Despite this, Connor wasn’t worried. He knew that even if they didn’t discover a way to stop the virus that Elijah would do as he promised and put an end to Connor’s life- however short and rather unfortunate it was.

It was funny, the closer the day came, the less worried Connor became. Ever since his first real mission- the negotiation with Daniel- he had always had a fear of death. Sometimes he was even too afraid to close his eyes- because if he did he would see the face of the one person he trusted- and was betrayed by.

Something in him stung whenever he thought of Amanda.

Connor pressed a hand to his chest, hoping the pressure would make the pain fade, but nothing ever seemed to help. He let out a soft sigh and gazed out the window of Hank’s car- he was sitting in the back seat watching the city of Detroit slowly pass by as the detective trio made their way through the city, responding to calls of android disturbances.

Ever since Connor and Elijah agreed on shutting Connor down, the man had locked himself away to try and find a way around it- a loophole. He dismissed Connor altogether and told him to find something to occupy his time- make himself useful somewhere else.

Those words stung as well- and Connor could not figure out why.

There were a lot of things he began to notice as time passed, feelings he had never experienced before were making themselves known in very peculiar ways. He had easily labeled the pain in his chest as hurt- sorrow perhaps, and knew he didn’t like the feel of it. But what he didn’t understand was why he felt hurt.

Hurt, he learned, was often preceded by something positive- but Connor felt as if he never really deserved to feel positive.

And if that was the case-

Was he really alive at all?

“Dammit….” Came a curse from the front seat, drawing Connor’s attention away from his own, spiraling thoughts. “I can’t fucking find this stupid street- I hate this city!” Hank growled as he stopped at a red light, yanking his ipad out from North’s hands to look at the GPS.

“I said turn right, you turned left.” North said dryly. “Did you forget to turn on your hearing aides this morning?”

“Fucking hilarious.” Hank mocked- and then under his breath Connor heard a faint- “bitch.”

“Turn right ahead, then right again at the light, I believe the destination will have to be reached on foot for it is in the city square-”

“Shut up Alexa.” Hank snapped.

“My name is Con-”

“Did I say you could speak?” Hank asked and Connor shut his mouth, shaking his head- although he knew the Lieutenant couldn’t really see him. “.....you said left at the next light?” Hank asked after taking the first left Connor had instructed.

“Yes.” He answered. “It is best to pull into the park parking lot, less traffic.” Connor said and Hank grunted in response.

This is what they had been doing for the last few hours, driving around Detroit on call. It was usually rather dull- most calls were people who were scared or convinced that they were being watched by an android. It was usually nothing- and after the fifth time Hank and North began to make a game out of it.

Or rather they took bets on if the call would be “legit” or not.

Connor had to look up what that word meant- and was pleased to find it was just a shortened version of “Legitimate” and he also found several other words that were commonly used in Hank’s era- which he thought he’d try and use to impress the man.

Although when he had said “Savage” Hank choked on his Chicken Feed lunch and told him never to say it again. This confused Connor, but he listened anyway. North had been doubled over laughing the entire time and she immediately begun using many of the words Connor had found, making the Lieutenant turn red in the face.

The whole situation was quite amusing- and had made Connor smile.

It also made him feel warm- and he found he enjoyed the feeling, and wondered how to keep it around. Naturally, he looked for the source. He tried describing the feeling and was given only one word that seemed to pop up everywhere for him recently.

Love.

Now that was an interesting emotion indeed. Connor hadn’t really paid much attention to it before, mainly because he didn’t know what it meant. To love or to be loved was something far from his mind at all times simply due to the fact that it seemed irrelevant to his life. It had yet to make itself known in his program and he had been okay with that for quite some time. But in recent events he started seeing it more frequently than not.

It was in movies he saw playing idly on the TV whether it be with Elijah or Hank. It was around the streets whenever he had to go anywhere- today in fact, he had seen a lot of love. Children and their parents- couples walking together, laughing together.

At first, Connor paid no mind to it. He didn’t care, and he didn’t need it- because of course, he had lasted this long without it.

That is- until quite recently.

It was strange for Connor that of all things, this is what he was worried about. People and androids alike were being harmed and even killed. His own life was in danger as well- but the only thing he could focus on was an unexplainable desire to love.

But of course, no one could love him. Connor wasn’t the type- he wasn’t kind and he didn’t understand half the things people tried to tell him. His whole being was based on pre-made choices in an algorithm and ever since that program was broken- he has been lost.

Markus told him once that emotions were beautiful, both the good and bad ones- because they didn’t work without each other. The concept made sense- how could you ever know what happiness was if you didn’t feel the opposite sometimes?

Yes, Markus was right.

Although said android seemed to be doubting himself lately- which was far from good. It was strange seeing the man so unsure of himself- and nobody else really seemed to be noticing except for Connor. Maybe that’s because Connor is the only other one who feels uncertain as well?

Perhaps, for once, Connor understands how Markus is feeling.

Connor felt his lips pulling up into a smile which surprised him. He felt a strange wave of- was it pride?

“Connor!” Hank’s voice once again brought Connor out of his daydream, the man was knocking at his window with a look of impotence- when had they parked? Connor didn’t recall. He pulled his seatbelt off and climbed out with an apology ready.

“I’ve never seen such a dopey smile.” North chimed and gave a snicker- Connor’s LED spun yellow as he wondered what the term “dopey” even meant.

“I’m not sleepy.” He replied.

“Check again, pretty sure you’ll find the definition could also be “idiotic.”” North explained and Connor frowned.

“Should I not smile? Does it look stupid?” He asked and North opened her mouth to speak but Hank cut her off before she could.

“Your smile is fine, Connor. Don’t listen to satan.”

“I hope you’re not referring to me.” North said, voice mocking offense.

“You’re right, that’d be an insult to satan.” Hank chuckled to himself and North rolled her eyes.

“Good one.” She muttered and the three of them eventually started across the square. It was relatively busy- perhaps not as busy as it usually is given that people are a little too afraid to go out. There were a few brave souls- mostly protestors who held up nasty signs that made North growl and curse under her breath.

Connor felt awkward- out of place due to the angry stares. He stood out like a sore thumb, android jacket sat proudly on his shoulders- Hank had made him put it on after seeing the backless white shirt he had been wearing. His LED spun between yellow and blue as angry shouts were thrown their way, Hank only pushed North and Connor forward, encouraging them not to listen.

Somehow- Connor didn’t mind as much as he had.

After all- Markus had insisted that Connor was brave. Markus thought Connor was better than the rest of them because he wasn’t afraid to be what he was-

Markus believed in him.

And that thought alone made Connor stand just a little taller- and smile at the people who called him garbage.

“Place is called...Smith and White? What the hell kind of name is that?” Hank asked as they walked across the courtyard in Greektown.

“I believe they sell clothes.” Connor supplied as they approached. The store was placed right on the corner of the main shopping center and the windows were dark- which made North grin and hold out a hand to Hank who waved her off.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself asshole.” Hank said to North, slapping her hand away. “They could still be in there. Need a new shirt Con?” Hank asked with a long laugh and Connor raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t require clothes.” He answered- ignoring the fact that Elijah made him change every other day.

“Wow.” North snorted, “Someone’s cocky.”

“Who?” Connor asked and Hank laughed again as he knocked on the glass door to the store, trying to peer inside. “Am I missing something?”

“Not at all kid.” Hank assured and then let out a groan. “I hate this place. When will all this shit clear up?” He growled.

“Elijah is working hard to discover a fix for the virus, and the members of Jericho are hopefully doing their best to raise public opinion. Although I find it unlikely for any sort of real agreement to be won in favor of Androids.” Connor answered and both Hank and North stared at him silently for a minute, making Connor tilt his head. “What?”

“Since when are you such a pessimist?” Hank asked, “Actually don’t answer that.”

“If we’re lucky, Markus and his wingmen are off minding their own business.” North said, leaning against the store window with a scowl.

“Why would that be lucky?” Connor asked.

“Because Markus isn’t cut out for this kind of thing.” North said, her tone dropping into something more serious- a tone she only took when she was angry; which was probably more often than not considering. “Before all this- he took care of an old man. He was treated with care, and he was loved. Markus has nothing but love for people and that’s a flaw a leader cannot have. He isn’t strong because he loves too hard, and expects too much of people- because people are monsters”

“No offense kid, but your view on people is severely warped.” Hank cut in, drawing North’s attention away from Connor.

“Really? I’d’ve thought that you of all people would agree with me that people are nothing but greedy douche bags.”

“Oh no, I do agree.” Hank sighed, stepping away from the shop, hands stuffed into his pockets. “But, if I had to pick man’s greatest weakness- it’d be love.”

“That’s for sure- you all have a severe lack of it.” North snapped.

“That’s right.” Hank sighed, nodding slowly. “Markus saw that, and used it to his advantage. The only reason you’ve gotten this far is because people were too afraid to hurt you all- because Markus showed the one emotion we can’t fight against. People are afraid to go against love. We fear love more than we fear anger. If you had chosen to cause mass chaos- no offence missy but you’d be dead.”

“Firstly- missy?” North’s nose wrinkled. “And secondly, I think we could have won.”

“Sure, you could win a fight or two.” Hank answered, ignoring her first comment. “But androids would stop being produced, and you’d be picked off one by one until you were all dead.”

“Hank is correct.” Connor chimed in. “The odds of Androids winning an aggressive battle are relatively high initially….Approximately 78%. But the chances of surviving after slowly drop. Androids would last about- six years.”

“We can produce ourselves.” North grumbled.

“That is biologically impos-”

“I meant we can build androids ourselves. The whole point of us.” She said, gesturing to herself and Connor. “Is that we are able to look up anything anytime.”

“Thirium can only be made by two people in the world.” Connor responded, earning a look from both of the detectives who seemed surprised by this information. “One- is obviously Elijah Kamski. The creator of Thirium.” He explained. “The second- well I don’t know his name. He goes by ‘The Operator’ in all records. I asked Elijah once, and he avoided the topic.”

“Can’t you of all people get the secret recipe?” North asked, and Connor shook his head.

“I would never want to know. That is too much power.” He said and North frowned.

“What do you mean? Us being able to produce is too much ‘power’? Humans can reproduce- whose side are you on?” She took on a more accusing tone, eyes narrowed and hands placed firmly on her hips. Connor felt a spark of intimidation- not that he really needed to be scared.

He could- in Hank’s words. “Take” North.

“The ability humans have to reproduce comes from love. Your intentions are for a war. I do not want to fight, nor do I believe I hold the correct understanding to produce out of love.” He answered.

“So basically, you’re no different than you were before.” North growled. “I thought you changed- but I guess you just had me fooled with your blubbering. I’m actually kind of disgusted with myself- I knew you had Markus fooled but you got me too.”

“North-” Hank tried but she continued to speak over him.

“Ever since you showed up at Jericho you’ve made our lives a hell of a lot more difficult.” She snapped, and Connor felt his shoulders slump ever so slightly under the weight of her words. North yelled a lot- he knew that. She threw blame wherever it could be thrown and paid to mind to the harshness of her words. Although Connor figured he didn’t have the right to be offended. It was true after all, he had lead the FBI right to Jericho that day. They knew he would be afraid of getting deactivated and he fell for it.

That very memory still haunted him to this day. Although so did many others- letting Hank get shot was pretty high up on his list of disappointments as well.

“I apologize I have made you feel that way.” Connor said and North laughed, rolling her eyes. Hank looked between the two, eyebrows raised- he looked like he wanted to say something but just as he opened his mouth to speak his phone began ringing in his pocket.

“Yeah?” Hank said into the phone, there was tension in his voice. He turned away and began to speak quietly into the phone. Connor decided it was best to remain quiet. North stood off to the side with her arms crossed, a deep scowl on her lips as she avoided Connor’s gaze.

She was quite hard to understand. Sometimes she joked around with Connor, told him to search for things he would later regret. There were also times she told him stories about Jericho- which he always enjoyed. But then there were the times she got upset- restless and annoyed by the occurrences in Detroit. She didn’t like not being able to help and Connor knew the feeling well- she took out her anger on the easiest thing possible.

Which was him.

That was something else they had in common.

Connor didn’t really think North was wrong- a lot of the problems they had all faced did seem to be due to his own existence in general. Ever since his encounter with Amanda on the stage- when she told him he had done exactly what she intended- well. How could Connor ever consider himself to be like the others?

If he was intended to feel emotions- then could he really claim that he was alive. Or even deviant for that matter? According to Elijah Deviancy was only triggered by an emotional shock- sure Connor had experienced several of those but were any of them enough to really put him over the edge and break his program?

The time Connor had figured he had deviated was when he first met Markus- the deviant leader had sparked a change in his thinking but there was nothing painfully shocking in that moment, was there?

Could it be that- he was still being used?

“Hey, Connor.” Hank broke him from his thoughts, the older man stood close, heavy hand falling onto Connor’s shoulder as he spoke in a low voice. “Fowler wants us back at the station- seems like there’s been an emergency lock down at the Stratford tower. Reed is on the scene now but there’s no telling what’ll happen……” He trailed off and Connor nodded. “Why don’t you stick around here a while longer, check it out.”

“Of course, Lieutenant.” Connor nodded- although it didn’t take him much to realize Hank just wanted to keep North away- or was it the other way around?

“Hank, you twat.” Hank said, slapping the back of his head. “Don’t think so much kid, looks like it hurts.”

“I cannot feel-”

“Connor.”

“Sorry Hank.”

“Good, keep in touch.” The man said and stepped, back after giving Connor’s shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s go blondie.” North didn’t respond, she just turned on her heels and stalked back to the Lieutenants car, Hank following behind. Judging by the look on his face- North was most likely about to be victim to one of Hank’s talks- something Connor had experienced several times.

Looking up at the display of Smith & White Connor pushed his glasses up his nose and tried to find a sign of life- the androids that previously stood in the windows for clothing display were gone- making Connor wonder if they were disposed of or if they had made it to Jericho.

Over the past few weeks news of people killing their old androids became more and more known. People became scared and turned on their own androids- killing them even if they weren’t deviated. The thought saddened Connor- they never got the chance to be free.

According to Hank, the call had come from the shop next door- Bellinis Paints- there was a report of loud, unexplained sounds that worried the store owner. Connor figured the best course of action would be to question the shop owner first- in order to understand what he had heard.

Connor left the front of Smith & White and went to the paint shop which was open- much to his relief. The door pushed open and the small shop surprised him. There were paint samples lining the walls, making the whole place vibrant- Connor hadn’t realized there were so many shades of color.

The store surprised him further when Connor saw the man at the counter- or rather the android. Upon first inspection Connor thought it was an EM400 model- but he was mistaken. Although they are visually similar this model is older- although the code is unidentifiable for some reason. He had red hair and was standing behind the counter with a kind smile- wearing the standard android jacket all sales clerks were issued.

“Welcome.” He greeted, and Connor approached the counter, wondering silently if the androids in front of him was a deviant or not- and if it was, why was it still working?

“Hello.” Connor answered. “My name is Connor, model RK800. I am here on behalf of the Detroit Police Department responding to a call about a disturbance.” The androids mouth formed into a small ‘o’ as Connor spoke and there was a sound from deeper in the store.

“I believe my employer was the one who called.” The EM400 lookalike answered, and not a moment later a young woman with dark hair emerged from the back. She had on a black t-shirt with a painters apron over the top which was covered in various colors and splotches. She looked rather disgruntled as she set down a rather big crate of paints onto the counter. She looked at Connor and offered him a smile.

“I’m glad you came.” She said, dusting off her hands- a little bit of paint coming off onto her apron. “The people next door have always rubbed me the wrong way- but now I’m sure something is wrong.” She explained, holding out a hand to Connor. “My name is Emily. This here is Marty.”

“A pleasure.” Connor replied, shaking the offered hand. “I am Connor. Could you please describe to me what it is that you heard? I am unable to really investigate without any proper evidence- it is illegal to enter the property without reason-”

“Oh, well that other officer just went over not too long ago.” Emily said and Connor gave a confused look which the girl seemed to pick up on. “He wasn’t with you- was he?” She asked, looking a little deflated.

“I’m afraid not.” Connor answered. “Would you happen to have their name?”

“Now that I think about it- he didn’t give one.” She answered, growing even more worried. “You don’t suppose he was working for someone over there- oh no. Now they know I called someone.”

“I’m sure it’s alright.” Connor said, “If you could please inform me of your concerns I will do my best to lead a proper investigation.” He went on, the girl smiled at him. She was quite friendly- despite the fact that Connor was obviously an android she was polite and- unafraid, which surprised him the most.

“Of course. I’ve always been leery of those people. But ever since the incidents with the androids-” She paused, obviously embarrassed. “Well, they’ve always been cruel to their androids but after this I’m afraid they might have- well I’ve seen the recent news and I’m quite worried they may have hurt them even more. Marty and I- well we couldn’t sit with a good concious without telling someone.”

“I understand.” Connor said. “Has anything happened recently to raise concern?” He asked, and she nodded solemnly.

“It was last night- I was packing up a shipment in the back when I heard a noise- you see our buildings are connected and out back is the loading dock for deliveries- Marty and I were out back packing up the boxes when there was this sound- well no it wasn't just a sound it was- well there was shouting. The door to their store was propped open- I didn’t go in but I could hear all sorts of things.”

“It’s alright- can you recall anything specific?” Connor asked. Honestly if she said that there was cause for concern then he could probably get away with at least survey the area.

“All I know is that there was a lot of yelling- I couldn’t make out what was being said but it didn’t sound good. Do you think someone could have gotten hurt?” She asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Well, I will have a look. Thank you for your concern miss, I will inform you of anything found.” Connor said, offering a smile, she grinned back at him with much gusto and nodded.

“Thank you! I now I may sound paranoid but- well I can’t stand the thought of what might have happened to those androids. I never thought it was right how they’ve been treated.”

“Well.” Connor said, shuffling his feet- LED turning a light yellow. “I’m sure things will change soon. It’s nice to hear of someone’s concern.”

“Of course!” She said. “I’ve always considered Marty here my friend more than anything- even before all of this.” She said, smiling at the said android who gave one in return- he looked quite genuine which was a relief.

At least there were still some kind people in the world- if only North were here to see it.

“Thank you for your time.” Connor said and left the store.

He looked around the store front again- tried the door although reluctantly. It was locked- which he expected. Connor found himself pulling his bottom lip between his teeth and circled around the store to the back alley that the girl had described. The door was shut and the area seemed- weirdly gloomy. Connor let out a small sigh and tried the back door which was also locked. All in all the building seemed abandoned but-

Well, Connor figured one of the Jericho members was lurking around and by all accounts only one of them would really be dumb enough to stick his nose into something police would normally handle.

Connor continued looking around the building- there was a fire escape but the ladder was up. Some boxes were stacked near the walls, several of them knocked over onto the ground. An old broken down car sat with a pile of junk around it- by all accounts nothing had been moved in forever. Unless- Connor frowned, eyes narrowing at the ground where he could faintly make out the outlines of footprints in the wet pavement.

Then he noticed the open window up on the fire escape.

Connor re-constructed the scene as best he could, if someone were good enough- or if someone were an android- they could climb the once stacked boxes and jump just high enough to get to the fire escape and into the open window before they fell over- scattering across the ground.

Connor stepped carefully around the boxes and picked them up- putting them how they had been before the events. Or at least how he pictured the would have been. Once he did that he backed up a few paces and re-made the scene- a faint outline of what would soon be himself projected forward and stepped up the boxes like a set of stairs and leapt up to grab the first rung of the fire escape.

As soon as the simulation was done Connor replicated the steps perfectly, once his hands closed around the cold metal he hoisted himself up to climb the rest of the way up the ladder and to the window. Below him he heard the boxes topple over once again- he glanced down and saw them in almost the exact position they had been- give or take a few centimeters due to a weight difference.

I’m lighter Connor thought to himself and returned his attention to the open window. He peered inside and saw nothing- it was dark, there were no lights on and the open window hardly lit up the room. Connor carefully stepped over the pane and entered the building- his vision flashed with a few warnings that he did his best to disregard

Waring! Trespassing!

When he was inside, his eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness of the room. He was in an upstairs office that had a mountain of papers and boxes stacked everywhere. The air was heavy- and if Connor could smell he thought it might be a bit moldy. He stepped carefully over the scattered objects and did his best to recreate the happenings of just minutes ago when another android had entered before him- or rather when Markus came in before him.

Connor shook his head at the idea of the Deviant leader putting himself at risk- and for what? A possible problem? How had Markus even known about this in the first place? Had North told him? That was his only idea.

A sound from downstairs made him flinch slightly.

Making his way towards the main hall Connor left the first room and rounded the corner to a set of stairs that took him down into the main area of the store. It was just as dark down here but instead of papers scattered everywhere it was clothing. Boxes of clothes were stacked around the room, some loose items were piled on the countertops and shelves. But there was no one to be seen. Connor shuffled around a bit and noticed a box was knocked over- he scowled as he watched Markus’ re-construction knock into it and have a bit of a panic before jumping to the side and- the outlines disappeared. Connor frowned and pulled off the glasses, looking at them with a brief flash of annoyance when the sound of footsteps caught his attention.

Connor looked around in a bit of a panic until two arms wrapped around his shoulders and yanked him backwards behind a huge stack of boxes, he opened his mouth but before the startled cry he was surely about to release could make it past his lips a hand clamped over his mouth. The two of them landed on the floor, hidden in the shadows just as two men appeared in the doorway to what Connor assumed was the basement.

“What the hell was that?” One of them growled, flashlight swinging across the room- the beam stopped on the box that had been knocked over- and that’s when it clicked.

“Hell if I know.” The other man said- voice like gravel. Connor wiggled slightly in Markus’ arms and pulled the hand away from his mouth as the men looked around the area. As soon as Connor’s hand made contact with Markus’ own his system flashed a question at him which- this time he accepted.

Interface with RK200?

“This couldn’t have fallen over on it’s own.” The first man said, standing not but a few feet away from them.

“I think you’re paranoid- there’s no way anyone is in here.”

 _“You’re trespassing.”_ Connor said through the connection once Markus accepted.

 _“So are you._ ” Came the response and Connor could hear the attitude mixed in with his voice, he frowned.

 _“I’m allowed to.”_ He answered and got nothing but the overwhelming feeling of joy pulsing through him- which made him squirm even more as his chest began to tighten.

The first man came close to where they were and Connor knew his LED was turning a dangerous color of red- and Markus seemed to notice as well. The hand that was once on his mouth slid over his temple and covered the bright light. Connor felt his cheeks grow heavy and a little warm.

This was- new.

“Hey!” Connor flinched when the man with the gravel voice spoke again, “Let’s just get back to work- the quicker we get this done the better.”

“Fine.” The first man said with a sigh, he kicked the knocked over box and the two disappeared back downstairs. As soon as they did Markus released his hold on Connor and the two of them stood back up, coming out of their hiding spot.

“What made you think coming in here alone was a good idea?” Connor asked in a whisper, straightening out his tie.

“You’re in here-” Markus began to reply but Connor glared at him which made the deviant leader silence. “Sorry.” He said in a defeated voice.

“Leave. Before you break more laws.” Connor instructed, pointing back towards the stairs.

“And you’re not coming?” Markus asked and Connor shook his head.

“I need to see what they’re doing. The woman next door is quite afraid and frankly I am a bit concerned myself.” He explained and Markus nodded.

“So am I.” He replied. “What’s the plan?”

“Plan?” Connor asked, “You mean my plan? Because you’re leaving?”

“No. I mean our plan. I figure I’ve already broken some laws- what’s a few more?” He asked and Connor shook his head at the taller android.

Although he didn’t have the courage to argue with Markus, he saw no way out of this.

“Fine.” He said, and Markus raised his eyebrows like he was surprised that Connor caved so easily.

“Fine.” Markus repeated.

“I’m assuming you spoke with the woman next door- she’s worried they have done something to their androids.” Connor explained quietly and Markus nodded along with his words.

“I heard.” He said and stepped around Connor, carefully heading towards the open door where a fountain of light was pouring. “That’s why I’m here- but there’s no way to get down there without being seen….” Markus said, squinting at the light.

Connor stepped up next to him and looked down the stairs which lead to a long hallway- likely a storage area. He was right though. The men were back and forth between the rooms without pause. It was unlikely they could get down there without being spotted instantly. Connor looked around the darkened room for something to help when the box Markus had knocked over caught his eye.

“All we need is proof.” Connor whispered to Markus. “If you can distract them-” He said, gesturing to the box. “Then I can get down there and find something to get enough for a reasonable search.”

“Sounds good to me.” Markus said quietly. “Just be quick please.” he said. Flashing Connor a smile. “What should I-?” Connor smiled back and pushed Markus back a few steps and hooked his foot around the deviant leaders leg- giving him a shove Markus fell backwards and landed on a pile of boxes. As soon as the loud sound was created Connor heard the sound of surprise from downstairs and hid himself near the door.

 _“Sorry”_ He said through a silent connection and heard Markus groan and he scrambled back to his feet just as the men emerged from downstairs. They spotted the caretaker and Markus froze like a deer in headlights. Both men stared in shock for the count of five until one of them shouted a disgruntled “Hey!” and broke the trance of all three men. Markus scrambled for the stairs and the two men chased after him. Connor took the opportunity to slip downstairs.

At first he wasn’t sure where to go- the basement was rather big with a long corridor of doors. He picked the first open doorway on the left and peered inside, a little nervous about what he could find but the first room seemed normal.

Connor flinched at a loud sound from upstairs and picked up the pace. He went to the next open room and scanned it for anything that was out of the ordinary and a barely open box caught his eye- the bottom right corner was tinted blue and dripping slightly onto the floor. His lips parted slightly as he stepped over, pulling one of the box lids open, prepared for anything-

All was inside was a box full of Thirium packages- which was a little odd but not incriminating in the least. Thirium wasn’t an odd thing to own when you had androids in your possession. Connor sighed and turned around, he looked around the room for anything else and saw a stack of papers that raised a few alarms- the words jumping off the page at him.

They were sales- not of clothes though. His stomach dropped at the words Connor recognized as parts androids could not live without- several biocomponents were listed with different prices next to the names and he deemed that as enough to get the place searched.

These people were likely killing their androids and selling their components- the question is to whom?

Another sound from upstairs made Connor cut his thoughts short and hurry back up the stairs. The big building was like a maze so Connor hoped that Markus had managed to find a place to hide from the two men.

Connor ran up the first flight of stairs and returned to the floor he had come in on and heard the shuffling of feet. He ducked into the first room on the right and hid around the corner as one of the two men stormed down the hall. He slipped back out as soon as he passed and continued down the hall, walking as carefully as he could.

 _“Markus?_ ” He called and was met with a response instantly.

 _“Outside.”_ He said and Connor didn’t bother answering. Instead he returned to the room they had first come in through and was happy to find it empty. He climbed out the window and saw Markus standing at the bottom of the fire escape. Connor looked over the edge a bit skeptical but didn’t waste any time lowering himself down the ladder and dropping the rest of the way to the ground.

“Easy.” Markus said as soon as Connor dropped down and when the detective looked at him he was grinning madly. Connor shook his head, opening his mouth to respond when the back door swung open, revealing the second of the men standing there with an angry scowl on his face. Once again there was a moment where no one moved, but when Markus’ hand wrapped around Connor’s wrist and tugged him backwards the man began to charge them.

Connor let Markus lead him as he watched the angry man blast towards them, he made sure to get a clear view so he could ID the man later on so when he swung his head around to see just where they were headed he felt his heart- well, his thirium pump stop entirely.

“What are you doing?!” Connor shouted just as Markus hopped up onto the rails of a small bridges that stretched over a river bank. There were several in the area. The Park wrapped all around Greektown which made it so popular- along with the river of course.

Before Connor could protest he was being pulled over the edge of the bridge and his hand slipped from Markus’ own as they fell into the river.

Connor regretted ever turning off his immunity to the cold as soon as they hit the water. Upon impact he sunk down and thrashed around in the water to find the surface- it was hard, but the water flow was rather light so as soon as Connor spotted the light of the sun he swam up towards it and broke the surface, the cold wind made his face prickle.

“Markus?” He asked through chattering teeth and swam slowly to the bank of the river, eventually standing waist deep in water he glanced around for the deviant leader who did eventually break the surface, spitting water from his mouth and making a heap of entertaining sounds as he made his way towards Connor.

“Shit- it’s cold. I can’t feel my feet, my hands- my-” Markus cut off as he slipped, stumbling back into the water once again. Connor just stood there watching with mild amusement.

There was an angry shout from above and Connor looked up to see the two men arguing. Markus splashed around as he stood up and Connor could sense another bout of whining about to commence so he grabbed Markus and clamped a hand over his mouth, much like Markus had done to him earlier.

The two men were bickering- quite obviously. It took several minutes for them to pass and by the time they were gone Connor was sure his legs were frozen. He dropped his hand from Markus’ mouth and began walking towards the bank, water dripping from every part of him.

Pulling off his jacket, Connor squeezed the water out of it. He also began pulling off his shoes, tossing them to the side. looking up when the sound of more splashing caught his attention. Markus was finally getting out of the water but just as he got out of the water and onto the muddy-icey bank he slipped and fell again, letting out a spew of words Connor had only ever heard from Hank.

As Connor watched the deviant leader struggle he felt his lips pull up into a smile, and before he could really realize what he was doing- he began to laugh. It was quiet at first, and a little awkward. Not needing to breathe made the experience almost endless as the sound began to pour from his lips, however Connor did feel his cheeks begin to strain as his smile grew wider.

Slowly, Connor sat down on the snowy bank, his laughing began to settle down into more of a chuckle as he watched Markus scramble to his feet once again, looking quite a bit embarrassed as he walked over to Connor- clothes covered in mud.

Markus also discarded his jacket and sat down heavily next to Connor, pulling off his boots which had water pour out of them.

“Wonderful.” He grumbled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself but I am never going to wear these again!” He said as he pulled the other boot off. Connor reached forward and picked up one of them, running a hand under the bottom.

“They are quite smooth- not really a winter boot.” Connor said, setting the shoe to the side. Markus shook his head but Connor could tell he wasn’t mad- in fact he was smiling quite happily.

“Did you find anything?” Markus asked, and Connor nodded, pulling off his tie.

“It seems they are selling biocomponents. I didn’t find any androids- but I’m still concerned.” He explained and Markus nodded along with his words. “We should tell the DPD as soon as possible.” Connor said and began to get up, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“Just- hold on. I need a breather.” Markus said, pulling Connor back down.

“We don’t need to breathe-”

“It’s a figure of speech.” Markus answered with a chuckle.

“Oh.” Connor said, suddenly- he felt a bit awkward. He squeezed the water out of his tie and slipped it back around his neck, not bothering to tie it. He looked down at his socked feet and wiggled his toes- they were numb at this point. It wasn’t until at least three minutes passed by in silence that an idea struck Connor- although it was an idea that made his stomach turn uneasily.

“Markus?” He asked cautiously, the deviant leader made a small sound of acknowledgement, prompting Connor to go on. “Do you….” Connor trailed off, his throat felt tight and suddenly dry despite the fact that he didn’t need water. He let out a frustrated sigh and asked the first thing that popped into his head. “You were a caretaker before this?”

“Yes.” Markus answered, Connor noticed the slightly slump in the other androids shoulders at the question.

“North told me.” He explained quickly. “She said you were fond of the man you took care of.”

“I was.” Markus answered, a little more happily. “His name is Carl- I actually came here to this paint store quite often for deliveries.” Markus recalled.

“He painted?” Connor asked, although he already knew the answer- Carl Manfred was a famous painter.

“He was famous for it.” Markus nodded. “Carl taught me all I know.” He said with a fond smile. “He showed me humans were truly wonderful beings- full of love.”

Connor looked carefully over at Markus, once again worrying his bottom lip as he considered the deviant leaders words. After another moment of silence he finally forced himself to ask.

“Do you love him?”

“Of course.” Markus said, turning to look at Connor. “He is my father.”

“Oh.” Connor said again, and looked back down at his feet. He couldn’t say he understood any better what love meant- he obviously hadn’t experienced it before. At least he was rather sure he hadn’t. In every situation love had been described as something- well- indescribable. This was probably the only real opportunity to ask what it felt like seeing as Markus claimed to have the feeling and know it quite well.

“I love quite a few things,” Markus broke the silence again, startling Connor. “It’s funny really. The more I think about it the more I realize that I’ve always loved Carl- and life in general. Even before the moment that I broke through my programming.” He explained.

“I don’t think- becoming a ‘deviant’ is what made me start feeling. Carl taught me what it meant to appreciate life long before I ever considered breaking my obedience. I think all androids knew deep down what it meant to be alive before becoming a deviant- before becoming….human.” Markus trailed off, looking down at his hands. Connor watched him and knew his LED was spinning quickly, likely a deep yellow.

“Maybe…” Connor said, just to answer.

“I love people- to the point that it sort of hurts. But maybe that’s what love is meant to feel like.” He said with a laugh.

“Love is meant to….hurt?” Connor asked, nose wrinkled in confusion. Markus laughed at his reaction and shook his head.

“Not hurt- but….” He paused, seeming to put a lot of thought into his answer. “I think it depends on the type. Say for Carl, he’s my family. I would do anything for him, no matter what. He can be annoying sometimes with his teasing but that doesn’t make me love him any less.” Markus smiled. “Then of course there’s Jericho- or rather my friends.”

“North?” Connor asked before he could really stop himself- that seemed to be happening a lot lately. The question drew a laugh out of Markus.

“Yeah, I do love North, just like I love Josh and Simon and all the rest of Jericho. They all have their weird quirks- in North’s case she can be a bit headstrong and even a little harsh sometimes but she means well. I lose my mind whenever she and Josh fight- but it’s like they do it on purpose.” Markus whined.

“Nevertheless.” Markus sighed, “They’re my family as well.”

“Seems….Big.” Connor supplied and Markus nodded in agreement.

“It is- but that’s the joy of family.” Markus agreed.

Once again they lapsed into silence. Eventually Connor reached for his shoes, slowly slipping them back on- it was probably time they return to the DPD. It was cold and Connor was fairly sure his feet were frozen- Markus looked no better. However as Connor stood up, Markus spoke again, making him pause.

“You’re apart of it too you know.” The deviant leader said, standing up and dusting off the snow stuck to his pants.

“Of….your family?” Connor asked cautiously and Markus shook his head, making Connor’s chest tighten once again-

Of course not. It was a stupid question.

“That’d be weird.” Markus said and Connors lips pulled into a frown.

“Oh.” Was all Connor said. He reached down and grabbed his jacket off the ground, shaking it out with possibly to much force- Markus watched with mild concern.

“Because-” Markus went on, although Connor focused more on putting his jacket on, but his actions paused when two- rather cold- hands framed his face, pulling his head up to look directly into blue and green eyes. “-the way that I love you, is much different.”

Connor stood there quite dumbly for awhile. His hands frozen, clutched to the jacket he had only just slid over his shoulders. Markus didn’t seem like he was going to say anything else and Connor knew he probably looked like a fool- a panicking fool considering how quickly his LED went red.

He opened and closed his mouth, trying to force words out but the more he thought about it the more he realized what Markus had just said-

Markus _loved_ him.

Which meant that there was someone in the world that loved him.

Crying was something Connor was used to at this point, so he wasn’t surprised when he felt the hot liquid sliding down his cheeks. But what surprised him was the the laughter spilling from his lips. Through blurry eyes he could see Markus smiling and he was pulled into a hug- which Connor returned. His arms slid around the deviant leaders waist and his fingers curled into the fabric that was soggy around his shoulders.

It was strange. Connor was sure he still didn’t know what it was to love- but that didn’t stop the utter feeling of joy at the idea that there was someone who for sure cared about him- let alone declare it out loud. Part of him knew Hank loved him but there was something about being told that made it seem so much more real.

It made him- giddy.

No matter how tightly Connor gripped Markus, he found he couldn’t stop shaking.

**December 9th 2038, 1:56 PM**

“What the fuck happened to you?” Lieutenant Anderson asked when Markus and Connor walked up to the man's desk at the DPD. Markus was shivering and was fairly sure he was frozen from the waist down. They had walked all the way back to the station and Markus was too embarrassed to really care-

Well, embarrassed and happy.

He hadn’t expected to say anything he had but the fact that Connor was just….there pulled it out of him.

He was weak.

He wasn't disappointed that the detective hadn’t returned the sentiment because he honestly figured that Connor was still learning- and given the poor android’s background, his issues with understanding emotion was understandable.

No, Markus was not unhappy, in fact he was downright ecstatic that he hadn’t gotten dropped on his ass because he figured Connor could probably kill him if he wanted to.

“We fell in the river.” Connor explained to the Lieutenant who was looking close to laughing and crying at the sight of them.

“No shit.” The Lieutenant replied. “There’s some extra clothes in the break room- just lookin’ at you makes me cold.”

“Lieutenant-”

“Hank.” Anderson cut Connor off.

“Hank, I believe the owners of Smith & White are selling Biocomponents. Their androids are missing and I’m afraid they could have been deactivated and disassembled.” Connor explained and Hank crossed his arms, nose wrinkling and Markus realized where Connor got that trait from-

Adorable.

Now really isn’t the time to be thinking that.

“Alright kid, go put on some dry clothes and we’ll look into it.” the Lieutenant said. Connor nodded and gestured for Markus to follow him- which he did without complaint.

Connor lead him to the break room where he pulled out two sweatshirts that read Detroit Police Department on the front- they were black and- rather plain. Markus sighed and took the similar pair of sweatpants from Connor’s hands, the only difference was that they were grey.

“This is hideous.” Markus said and Connor smiled briefly.

They got changed and Markus made it a point to ignore that he and Connor were in matching clothes as the headed back to the Lieutenant’s desk where North was now perched. As they got close she turned around and yanked on his arm as soon as he got close enough for her to reach. She dragged him off to the side despite his protests.

“North- what’re you doing?” He asked and she scowled at him.

“Something needs to change, Markus.” She said, and he opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head. “Not about that. Something’s not right- and I know you know it too. The streets are too quiet, it keeps going from a shitstorm to nothing in a flash and it’s not right.”

“I know. You’re right.” Markus said quietly. He shuffled carefully on his feet before finally admitting to North what he had done today- to which she slapped him on the back of the head and called him several unfriendly names.

“You’re such an idiot! I can’t believe I’m saying this but you’re damn lucky wonderboy showed up when he did. No offence but you’d totally get yourself killed.” She said and Markus rolled his eyes- but she was probably right.

“I spoke to Kamski the other day.” He explained, which got her to quiet down. “He told me about it- he told me to keep an eye out for other things like this. He’s worried about President Warren’s demands for government issued androids. He thinks…..she’s apart of these small underground business deals. We found people selling biocomponents.”

“What?” North hissed and Markus nodded.

“I know.” He said. “You’re right. It’s time to do something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on Tumblr!
> 
> http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/


	20. Cynophobia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written 100% for my own entertainment. I had a lot of fun- it's to take a break from all of the serious, plot heavy chapters we've had lately. But we'll return there in the next chapter so- enjoy this one!
> 
> Thank you for all the love! You guys are wonderful and your comments and kudos bring me such encouragement!

**December 11th 2038, 1:03 AM**

Markus flinched when North’s elbow nailed him in the side, followed by Josh’s knee digging into his hip which was beginning to make his leg go numb- could androids get their circulation cut off? Today would be the day he found out.

He really didn’t want to replace another leg.

And the gash on his shin really wasn’t helping.

“Can we call Connor _now?”_ Josh asked, voice muffled since his face was pressed up against Markus’ shoulder.

“Like I said before: what’s the twink going to do? Nothing!” North snapped, she tried to turn and face Josh but ended up getting a mouth full of Simon’s hair who was unfortunately pushed to the back of the closet and trying to balance up a bucket that had begun to tumble to the ground.

“Really North-? Twink?” Markus grumbled, hissing in discomfort when North’s elbow seemed to dig deeper into his side. He wiped at his nose for what must have been the millionth time that evening- although the Thirium had long since stopped pouring down his chin- it still felt strange.

“What do you mean nothing?! He’s gotta be packing heat-”

“He’s not.” North and Markus said in unison and there was a long pause.

“I won’t question how either of you know that.” Josh said quickly. “But we don’t have a better option here! Those guys don’t seem like they’re leaving anytime soon!-”

“Which is why you should stop yelling at each other.” Simon chimed in and all three of them silenced.

Markus let out a long sigh- how had it come to this?

Markus had pitched the idea to North- knowing she was restless and needed to get something done herself, which is what Markus was intending to do- but this was just…

Well it sucked.

When Markus had pulled Elijah aside at the DPD awhile back he had asked the man if he could do something to help- Markus was truly tired of sitting on the sidelines and seeing nothing getting accomplished. Kamski didn’t seem surprised- in fact he had instantly handed Markus a list of names and addresses, asking him to check them out.

Upon further questioning Markus discovered most of the names were employees at CyberLife before the demonstration. Since then a lot of members of Cyberlife dropped off the grid- disappearing entirely. Elijah asked Markus to find them as quickly as possible.

He also gave him another list of names that Elijah admitted were people suspected to be smuggling Android parts- selling them to a wide variety of people.

 _“Listen well, Markus.”_ Elijah had said. _“Some of these people- I’m afraid they’re selling old codes. CyberLife has worked on things that are nearly unspeakable over the years and if anything of the sort gets out- well. I doubt even I can save you.”_

The conversation still made him shiver. The thought was scary- because what could be worse than the virus they were already dealing with? Maybe it was a leaked code, and by finding these people they could find the way to fix it? But if that were the case, Elijah would have said- right?

Either way, the first place Markus looked into was Smith & White where he had run into Connor- much to his delight despite the situation. It was rather convenient to have Connor there since he was a direct link to the DPD, but that was only one name off the list. After discovering things could be a little more risky going alone Markus ended up asking his friends to tag along, North was ecstatic- almost a little too much- Josh looked worried as always and Simon simply nodded and tagged along.

But now they were trapped- and Markus could see no way of getting out other than calling the Android Detective but he’d end up having to explain what happened- how on earth did the four of them end up in the smallest broom closet known to man for three hours?

It was just too embarrassing.

**Four hours earlier….**

“Josh- buddy- can you speed things up?” Markus asked, hanging precariously over the edge of a balcony of a rather huge mansion. Josh was just managing to swing his leg over the railing as Markus spoke.

“Why couldn’t we just find an open window on the _first_ floor?” Josh asked, offering a hand to Markus once he was safely on the balcony.

“Because it’s less Mission Impossible-ly.” North said as she popped open the balcony window- which made the most aggravating creak Markus had ever heard.

“Could you be any quieter?” Markus asked as he hopped onto the balcony.

“Dude- I don’t even think anyone is here.” North answered with an eye roll. Markus frowned.

“It’s made to look abandoned you moron.”

“Moron? Ouch!”

“I was trying to be polite, would you rather I call you a d-”

“Markus!” Simon snapped, drawing the two out of their bickering. “What’re we looking for exactly? Why don’t we just- make sure we’re all on the same page.”

“Well- I mean….” Markus shifted from foot to foot uneasily, all three of his friends looking at him with varying looks.

“Wait wait- you have no idea do you?” North asked and her mocking tone turned into full on laughter within seconds.

“Well it’s not like I got an itemized list of objects to look for! Kamski gave me names and addresses-”

“So what’re we supposed to do? Do I have the option of leaving?” Josh asked.

“You can’t leave.” Markus said, “Just- we have to find out what they’re doing here.”

“You mean if anyone is even here?” North asked, coming down from her laughing fit.

“There _is._ ” Markus snapped. “Kamski said-”

“Oh sure, Kamski said so it is- poetic really. My question is, how does he know? What info could he possible have that makes him so sure someone is doing illegal shit in an abandoned mansion? Sounds damn suspicious to me.” North said, arms crossing as she assumed what Markus identified as her power stance- hip cocked to one side, lips pressed tightly together and arms crossed firmly over her chest.

“What reason would he have to send me on a wild goose chase?” Markus asked.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe to trap you and dissect you to find out what makes you a literal Robo-Jesus?” North offered.

“Robo- why does everyone keep saying that?” Markus asked, Simon and Josh shrugged.

“I’m sure it’s fine North.” Simon chimed in. “Let’s just go in- see what we can find. If Kamski was wrong- what have we really lost? Plus if is a trap I doubt he’d get away with it.”

“What makes you so sure?” North asked- and honestly Markus was interested as well.

“Just a hunch…” Simon said- innocently enough for the other three to shrug it off.

“Well let’s go then.” North said, pushing the glass door open further. “I’d rather not spend the entire night in this place- it’s probably haunted as fuck.”

“Scared?” Josh asked, and North shook her head.

“No- I’m more worried for you. It’s always the friendly pacifist that dies first.” She said and disappeared into the darkness of the second floor. Josh looked worriedly at Markus, who slapped a hand onto Josh’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry man, I’ll protect you.” Markus offered, and Josh gave a weak smile before following North.

When Markus stepped inside he couldn’t really see much- the floorboards cracked beneath his feet and the air was heavy- he imagined that if he had the ability to smell, it would be rather unpleasant.

He slowly followed Josh and North who were ahead of him, whispering to each other- no doubt about ghosts. Simon lingered a bit further back, looking a little disturbed at- well, everything.

The mention of ghosts made Markus consider if the place really was haunted- he wasn’t one to believe in superstition but the old mansion literally fit all the haunted stereotypes- damp, rotting floorboards, an interior that was like a maze with five separate floors and most importantly a group of idiotic friends who were probably sticking their noses where they didn’t belong.

The thought made him chuckle until there was a faint sound from above them- the others must have heard it too since they North and Josh stopped speaking and Simon’s hand found Markus’ jacket instantly.

“Did you hear that?” Josh asked, voice shaky.

“Probably just the wind.” Markus said, although he knew how lame that sounded.

“Great, we’re all going to die.” North said, “it sounded like footsteps.”

“Not a person’s footsteps…..” Josh muttered and suddenly North and Josh were also huddled by Markus, clinging to his arms.

“You guys are being ridiculous, of course it was a person- or the wind like I said. There’s no such thing as ghosts.” He chided.

“You don’t know that.” North said. “Have you ever seen one?”

“No...That’s my point?” Markus said in a questioning voice.

“Can we just keep going?” Simon asked quietly, pushing Markus forward.

“Yes, let’s keep going.” Markus agreed and continued down the hall- but noticed the other three were only shuffling slowly after him. “You guys- seriously?” He asked, “the sooner we find something the sooner we can leave- now hurry up.”

That seemed to work. North took the first brave step forward, latching onto Markus’ left arm, then Josh and Simon followed, walking as closely behind Markus as they could get. Markus just rolled his eyes and lead the now pitiful looking group down the hall until they came to what seemed to be the main area of the second floor- there were huge staircases leading down to the entrance and two more flights splitting off to the third floor.

“Up or down?” Markus asked- and as if on cue, another sound from upstairs- this time a bit louder- it was more like a- clicking sound?

“I vote down.” North said. Earning rushed agreements from Josh and Simon.

“Down it is.” Markus said and they proceeded down the large set of stairs.The main hall was huge- and Markus imagined it would have been quite beautiful before it had been abandoned. The wood was stained with water damage but was once a rather pretty mahogany, the floors were also wood- some boards looked weak- like they could collapse at any second.

Markus managed to get the others to separate from him and look around after a heap of coaxing. The sound hadn’t returned in awhile so they reluctantly began picking up what courage they could and spread out around the first floor. Markus had found himself in what he thought was the kitchen- it lead out to a rather overgrown looking backyard and was void of any type of kitchen utensil or food.

The longer Markus spent snooping around the more he felt that he had been lead astray by Elijah- but his last tip had been correct. Connor had assured him there was reason to believe the owners of Smith & White were selling Androids- but since the law to make crime against Androids punishable had yet to be passed made it impossible for the DPD to do anything- Connor had apologized and sent him on his way before Markus could bust into Fowler’s office and demand action-

Which he was grateful for now- Fowler looked like he could snap Markus in two.

“Markus!” Josh called from the dining room- which he emerged from in the next few seconds.

“What? Did you find something?” Markus asked, and Josh shook his head.

“I was just thinking- what exactly is the plan if….say- there is someone here, and we get caught?” Josh asked, following Markus into the main hall where North and Simon were already milling about in.

“The four of us can handle it just fine I would think.” Markus said, “did you guys find anything?”

“Nope.” North said, popping her ‘p’ as Simon shook his head.

“Okay but listen-” Josh said, getting Markus’ attention again. “None of us can really fight.”

“Speak for yourself!” North protested. “Markus and I can kick some ass!”

“Well…” Markus trailed off- he wasn’t really programmed with any real fighting ability and neither was North. But he was a special prototype- that had to count for something? He had always had an inclination for quick thinking and pretty light on his feet. And North was-

Well she was bloodthirsty so he wasn’t nervous.

“Okay- but wouldn’t it be better to have someone who knows what they’re doing?” Josh asked, “Why don’t we call Connor- he’s a detective isn’t he? And an android-”

“Dude- we don’t need that stick-in-the-mud.” North groaned. “Besides he’d snitch.”

“Yes. Which means he’d get us to leave. Which sounds good to me.” Josh said, “plus he could destroy anyone that came along- I remember that night on Jericho and was thoroughly terrified and impressed.”

“Sorry Josh- but I think North is right- not about the stick thing- but Connor wouldn’t want us here and we need to find out what’s going on. We’ll just have to be careful.”

“If we die, I’m going to be so mad.” Josh said, biting his bottom lip.

“Well- obviously up is the only way to go from here.” Markus said, gesturing up the stairs, he earned nothing but three blank stares and rolled his eyes. “Fine.” Markus said, going up first. His three friends shuffled up behind him, but kept their distance. Markus found them ridiculous- he should have just left them behind with all the whining they were producing. There was nothing supernatural happening and he would prove it if he had too.

However the third floor was even more broken down than the other parts of the house- the stairs leading up to the fourth seemed nearly impossible- the stairs were broken in places and it seemed risky to try. The second floor seemed to be made up of nothing but long halls that twisted and turned all over the place- it was definitely a maze.

“If you say ‘let’s split up and look for clues’ I’ll actually kill you.” North whispered.

“No arguments there.” Markus said and started down the hall to the left. It didn’t take long for it to happen- they had all just rounded the corner to a long corridor and the sound from earlier returned- only it was obviously coming from down that hall- it was like a scratching sound against wood- and Markus swore he heard a faint growl but it must have just been his ears playing tricks on him.

“What the fuck is that?” North asked, frantic.

“Just- the wind.” Markus said.

“Markus. It isn’t the wind.” Simon said and Markus knew he was right.

“I vote Markus goes to check it out.” Josh said and the other two instantly agreed. North even gave him a shove down the hall. Markus looked back at his friends- bewildered.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” He snapped but the three of them looked rather serious. Markus shook his head and carefully inched down the hall towards the door that the sound most definitely emanated from. The scratching happened again when he took a step closer and a floorboard shifted beneath his feet. Markus threw one last glance to his friends who were all huddled together-

Assholes.

Markus waited for the sound to stop- letting it fade from a dull clicking to silence and reached for the door handle which looked quite rusty- and slowly turned the knob, he popped his head into the dark room- although it wasn’t entirely dark as he expected it to be. There was a few lamps set up around the room- it looked a lot more put together than the rest of the house. He would have gone in- until he noticed the source of the noise.

Funny.

“Holy shit-” Markus muttered.

“What is it?” North asked.

“It’s- a dog.” Markus said, looking at a rather large- mean looking thing laying on the wood floor, it looked like it was asleep- or pretending to be asleep.

Waiting for Markus to step foot into the room.

Waiting for Markus so it could launch an attack and no doubt go for Markus’ throat-

“A dog!?” North asked, shoving past Markus and stepping into the room. “What the hell this thing is huge!”

“North shut up! It’s probably a guard dog- it looks mean.” Markus said as Simon and Josh came closer.

“Oh come on! He looks friendly.” North said. “You should really get over this irrational phobia, look see-” North said, walking over to the dog like it was nothing, although when she got close, the dog lifted it’s head- staring at the four of them with a look that Markus could only describe as blood lust.

And Markus did not stick around to find out if he was right.

Just as he shoved past Simon and Josh there was a snarl and a screech from North, Markus made the mistake of looking back to see the big dog chasing his three friends down the hall, he took a quick turn to the left and found a dead end. Turning around he ended up running into his three friends who all scrambled.

“The other way go the other way!” He cried and they all stumbled to go to the right where the main stairs were, Markus followed after his friends but was suddenly stuck. Markus squealed- and he admits it was a squeal- as his left foot broke through a floorboard, the momentum he had made him fall to the floor in a face plant.

“Guys!” He yelled scrambling to try and stand but his food was refusing to come. North and Simon returned to his side and yanked on his foot as Josh looked like he was close to passing out by the stairs.

"It's not coming out!" Simon said, voce panicked.

"Just yank it out!" North said and Markus looked back at her in mild horror as she wrapped two hands around his leg and pulled it put from the floor with literally all her might- which was a lot. He could both feel and hear the ripping of his pant leg and skin as his foot was freed. He probably would have freaked out more about the now huge hole in his shin if it weren't for the giant dog just inches away.

When Markus’ foot was freed they ran down the stairs, back to the main halls, Simon threw open the first door to the left of the stairs and all four of them followed without question-

It was definitely out of pure fear in Markus’ case, and he would have made fun of North’s inhumane screech if he wasn’t currently standing with a mouthful of said girls hair. Unable to get his arms up Markus lifted his head and sputtered out the tangled mass of strawberry blonde locks.

“What the fuck?!” North screeched when the door began to shake, accompanied by angry barks. “It’s Cujo!”

“Who’s Cujo?” Simon asked, followed by a grunt. “Markus move your foot-”

“I would if I could move.”

“I think there’s a mop up my-”

“North!” Markus, Simon and Josh said in unison, North just cackled to herself and began shuffling around, the top of her head knocked into Markus’ jaw and he jerked backwards, one hand finally coming free only to smack into Simon who yelped and stumbled back into the shelf, a few things fell off, hitting them all- Simon managed to catch himself and frantically began holding things up to keep the entire shelf from collapsing onto them.

“By the way- a closet!?” North said angrily once the shelf was no longer in danger falling.

“It was the first door I saw…” Simon said with a sigh.

“Why is it so small? We’re in a mansion.” Josh whined and Markus agreed.

“I think I broke my nose.” Markus said after a drawn out silence- his comment was followed by four separate groans and a sniffle from himself, trying to keep the thirium from dripping down his chin.

“What do we do?” Simon asked, “Cujo doesn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon.”

“Well….” Markus shifted again, “I’m staying in here till it’s gone.”

“Pussy.” North said and Markus scowled- not that she could really see him, it was quite dark.

“Says the one who screamed like a little girl-”

“I am a girl asshole, and you didn’t get your hand almost bit off!”

“No, I just broke my face on the floor!”

“Which was really lame by the way.”

“Will you two stop bickering for two seconds please?” Simon asked and Josh snickered. “We can’t just stay in here, Markus. Your fear of dogs needs to be put aside for now. Also- think about this, there’s a dog here. Which means there must be people- it didn’t look like a stray.”

“That’s true.” Josh said. “Think they’re friendly?”

“Remember what we’re here for, Josh. People selling android parts? They’re probably super friendly until they cut off your freakin’ head!” North said and Markus felt Josh tense.

“I’m with Markus, stay in here.” Josh said.

“We can’t-” Simon began, but was silenced by a hand over his mouth when there was a loud sound from outside the door. It sounded like the main door being opened- followed by about four pairs of footsteps and muffled voices. It was impossible to really make out what they were saying.

 _“Markus.”_ Simon’s voice rang in his head- making him flinch in surprise. _“You didn’t bleed on the floor did you?”_

 _“Uh…no?”_ Markus offered- but he couldn’t remember. _“Thirium evaporates quickly though, if I did it could be gone.”_

_“Let’s hope so.”_

 

**Present…..1:15 AM**

“Dude, they’ve been in and out for three hours- we need to do something.” North said, breaking the long- and rather tense silence that had been building. The door outside had opened and closed again, prompting her words.

“Which is what I’ve been saying-” Josh began but was quickly shut down.

“I swear to rA9 if you say Connor one more time!-” North growled.

“I already called him.” Simon said, and everyone when quiet.

“You did what?!” North screeched.

“North be quiet!” Markus hissed. “They’ll hear you-”

“Good! I’d rather be sold on the black market than saved by wonder-boy.” North groaned and Markus shook his head in exasperation.

“You were getting along fine until recently, what happened?” Markus asked and noticed North’s elbow digging further into his side.

“We never got along.” North snapped.

“You never get along with anyone.” Josh offered and yelped when North swung a hand across Markus to smack at Josh. Josh began flailing his legs and arms in an attempt to hit the other android back and Markus was trying his best to get them both to stop because he was literally stuck in the crossfire.

“Guys- guys!” He begged but the slapping only became more aggressive until the door suddenly opened- Markus felt Josh and North latch onto him as they both fell backwards due to having been leaning heavily against the door. He flailed and fell into a heap with the other two- Simon somehow stayed upright and stepped carefully over the three of them. When Markus looked up to see who had open the door he was met with a rather annoyed face.

Connor stood over them with his arms crossed, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together just enough to make his bottom lip stick out and Markus found that was the best thing to focus on rather than the rather disappointed look the detective was wearing.

“Thank you, Connor.” Josh and Simon both said unanimously.

 

**December 11th 2038, 1:01 AM**

Connor had just finished watching a very interesting film with Hank when he got a distress call from Simon- which surprised him. Although he couldn’t help but feel a spark of annoyance, given the fact that Hank was quite adamant that the two of them were to spend the night getting Connor up to date on all the important films- when Connor had said he could just look up the plots Hank threw a fit and forbid him from doing so.

Which is why they had been up at one in the morning watching Die Hard. Earlier that evening they had watched The Godfather, Castaway and Marley and Me- which Connor noticed had Hank in tears but didn’t say anything. They were only about twenty minutes into Die Hard when Connor stood up and told Hank he had to go. The Lieutenant gave him a puzzled look but paused the movie anyhow- and then told Connor to get in the car because he was driving.

Connor figured there was no point in arguing and did as he was told. He gave the directions to Hank and they soon found themselves in front of a rather large, abandoned house. When Hank asked what they were doing here, Connor explained the call he had gotten from Simon that had simply gone: _Help, please._

Hank made a joke about how polite that was but Connor didn’t understand why it was funny. Instead he said he’d be right back and left Hank in the car. Upon further observation he found that there were signs of life inside- the front door had been regularly opened and closed and there were scuff marks on the walkway up to the door.

Connor pushed open the door and popped his head in- he wasn’t sure where Simon was, but he figured if they were in distress he’d find them rather quickly- that was assuming Simon wasn’t alone. Which he doubted. Based on what he knew of the android, he didn’t like doing things alone.

And Connor figured it was safe to assume that where there was one member of Jericho, there were the other three.

Which was something he wouldn’t admit to being jealous over.

Walking further into the house Connor spent a while looking around, there were obvious signs that people were here- he followed the scuff marks to the second floor and spotted a broken floorboard, squinting at it, Connor bent down and carefully slipped his fingers through the nearly invisible thirium and swiped his tongue across his fingers to analyze it.

_Thirium 310, DNA analysis: RK200 Exposes for 3 hours and 4 minutes._

Connor hummed to himself and stood up, looking around the floor- there were splotches of thirium across the floor, but it was fading. Thirium dried fast for the naked eye but slower for androids. Connor followed the trail down the hall until he came to a stop in front of a small door which- if he listened closely, had small thumping sounds emanating from it. He stood there listening to the sounds of growing distress until finally reaching forward and popping the door open, stepping backwards instantly when the door was pushed open against his hand as soon as the latch came free, three bodies tumbled to the ground in front of him and standing in the back was Simon, who’s face lit up at the sight of him.

“Thank you, Connor.” Simon said and Connor could hear Josh’s muffled voice doing the same- he was crushed under North and Markus who were both staring at him with very different looks. North looked as grumpy as always- which reminded him of their last conversation- which made him falter slightly and he just knew his face was probably losing it’s stern appearance. Markus was looking with a mixture of embarrassment and- something Connor couldn’t name.

Which reminded him of his previous conversation with Markus- by this time Connor was sure his stern facade was gone entirely.

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you four that you’re trespassing?” Connor asked, regaining his composure. “Should I even bother asking why you’re here? Or would that give me more reason to hand you over to Lieutenant Anderson?”

“It’s best not to ask.” Josh- who was still being crushed grumbled and shoved at Markus’ shoulder who seemed to snap out of a stupor and sit back on his knees, mumbling a sorry to his friend who sat up.

“I advise you all leave before you find yourselves locked in another closet- which I won’t question. Markus, you’re bleeding?” Connor asked, looking down at the deviant leader.

“I- was yes…” Markus said, looking like he had forgotten. He sat back and pulled his legs out from under him to look at a torn left pant leg that looked rather damaged. It was still bleeding and Connor felt an unusual pang of worry.

“How long were you in there?” Connor asked, squatting down just as Josh had stood up- North was sitting cross legged on the floor staring at Connor with narrowed eyes and he was doing his best to ignore it.

“Three hours.” Simon answered and Connor shook his head. He already figured that given the blood sample he had found.

“You’re probably low on Thirium.” Connor said.

“That’d explain why I can’t feel my foot.” Markus said with a breathy laugh. Connor scowled at him.

“This is the second time I’ve found you lurking in a dangerous place, what were you all doing?” Connor asked, looking from Markus to Josh- who he knew would cave instantly.

“Trying to find smugglers.” Josh said as soon as Connor looked at him and was promptly smacked by North who had jumped to her feet.

“Josh!” She hissed.

“Smugglers?” Connor asked, looking back down at Markus who resembled a pouting child. “What makes you think there are smugglers here? Also what made you think you should come looking?”

“Because if there were androids here we need to help them-” Markus began but Connor shook his head.

“Doing that will only make things worse.” Connor said.

“But-”

“Is there anyone here?” Connor asked, cutting Markus off.

“We’ve heard noises on and off the whole time.” Simon replied. “We have reason to believe they’re set up on the third floor- we were up there when….uhm, well we saw an occupied room.” Connor nodded.

“Okay. I’ll go look, you should all go wait outside. The Lieutenant is in the driveway- I suggest you sit with him.” He said, standing back up.

“Wait- you’re going by yourself?” Markus asked, eyes wide. “You should know there’s a big ass-”

“Hole in the floor!” North cut in, making Markus glare at her. “We’ll wait in the car.” She smiled and grabbed one of Markus’ arms, Simon jumped in to help her lift the deviant leader to his feet who hissed in discomfort.

“Thank you, North.” Connor said and turned to leave the small group. He sighed quietly to himself, feeling the air cooling off his systems- the action had grown to be soothing more than anything at this point. He took a look at the time- 1:25 AM. Still time to finish Die Hard and possibly fit in The Green Mile if he only popped his head in for a minute. Hank seemed particularly excited about that one and Connor was rather excited to spend time with the Lieutenant, the last time he had was when the man was still recovering from the incident at the CyberLife tower-

It still hurt to think about it.

Connor stepped carefully over the broken floorboard and went down the hall to the open door he assumed Simon was referring to. Inside he found several things that were alarming- Connor felt his stomach drop at the traces of thirium covering every surface- there was a lot. Enough to make him understand how Hank felt when he tested samples. Connor pulled off his glasses and slipped them into his jacket- the blood instantly faded. He took a breath and carefully stepped into the room where papers were littered across the tables as well as sloppily stored tools.

A faint sound of snoring caught his attention, looking to the corner of the room Connor spotted a dog. Connor couldn’t help the way his lips pulled into a grin at the sight of the German Shepherd. It looked to be asleep but as Connor approached it lifted it’s head, letting out a faint growl until Connor crouched down in front of it, holding out a hand.

There was a cautious sniff at first, followed by a tentative lick. As soon as the tail began to wag, Connor took that as an okay to stroke the dog’s soft fur, going from the scruff to the ears. Connor bent down with a smile and booped his nose against the dog’s- it was cold and wet but Connor didn’t mind in the least.

After through petting, Connor stood back up and milled about the room, the dog following him closely. He glanced at the papers and tried to take note of everything he saw- a lot of it was looking similar to what he had seen in the basement of Smith & White. But there was something else that was alarming- Connor spotted the packets on one of the back tables. Small specks of red were stuffed in small plastic baggies that were littered across the table and in bigger boxes.

Red Ice.

Connor had only seen the drug a few times when dealing with Carlos Ortiz, as well as Todd Williams who was found dead in his home. Obviously he had also been aware of its role in Hank’s past- which made his stomach drop.

Based on what he saw here was enough to get a warrant, not because of the android sales but the drugs. Despite everything that was happening, it was still illegal. And by the looks of it- these men were doing more than simply using.

Connor left, based on what the others had told him he really shouldn’t spend a lot of time snooping around. The people they heard could be back any second.

The dog followed him out of the room and down the hall- luckily it seemed the others hand listened to him and gone outside. When he left- he bid the dog farewell, who let out a long, drawn out whine that made Connor yearn to bring the poor thing with- but he had a feeling Hank would have a fit.

Although it looked like Hank was having a fit already. The man was out of the car, leaning against the driver side door and glaring at Connor as he left the house and approached. It was dark- but he could still see the sour look on the mans face.

“Connor what the hell? I just had to wrestle four delinquents into the back seat of my car- which you’re cleaning by the way. It’s got blue goo all over the place!” Hank hissed.

“It’s Thirium.” Connor said- although regretted it. Hank knew what it was. “-I’m sorry. I was unaware of the situation until I arrived. But I have reason to believe that there are people here selling Red Ice-”

“Doesn’t matter, kid.” Hank cut him off. “I can’t report this cuz not only will I get reprimanded- so will you. Android or not.” Hank hissed. “Get in the car. We’re going home.”

“But-”

“Connor.”

Connor pressed his lips together and scowled at Hank, who just rolled his eyes and got in the driver's seat. Connor rounded the car and popped open the passenger side door. Climbing in and closing it with perhaps a little too much force.

Hank sighed and Connor clicked his seat belt on. The car started and the radio began playing a Jazz song that he had told Connor earlier that night was his favorite- which he quickly turned off, turning red in the face when North snickered in the back seat- Connor spared a glance to the rearview mirror and saw the four Jericho members cramped in the back, Markus looked ready to pass out with his face plastered to the window behind the driver's seat. Simon was next to him, followed by North which left Josh directly behind him. They were all awkwardly squished together but it worked.

As they drove, they drove in dead silence. Normally Hank would crack jokes that Connor didn’t understand or if they were alone he’d turn on different jazz songs- Connor’s favorite had been a duet by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Hank was pleased with this choice it seemed. But now- now it was just awkward.

Luckily the drive was not more than 10 minutes to 115 Michigan Drive. Connor was mildly surprised that Hank took them to his house rather than back to New Jericho, but at the same time, that would have been an extra half hour worth of driving and it was already nearing two in the morning. The car pulled into the driveway and Connor undid his seatbelt as soon as the engine turned off, popping open the car door.

He was careful on the ice- he had slipped last time and Hank had howled in laughter at the sight of his scrambling to stand. North followed suit quickly, having already been familiar with Hank’s home. But the others were slower to get out- especially Markus who couldn’t really walk without assistance. But much to everyone's surprise- Hank was the one to help him. Although not very gently. Connor watched as the grey haired man yanked Markus out of the car and easily lifted him off the ground under one arm.

North was laughing- as usual. Simon and Josh were watching in slight horror and Connor was opening the front door as Hank lugged a limp Markus inside, dropping him on the couch and heading straight to the kitchen for the fridge. Connor sighed and followed, seeing the TV was still paused during an interrogation that Connor was excited to witness.

“Lieutenant-”

“Hank, kid.”

“Hank. Is is there no way we can bring this to Fowler- it’s-”

“Listen, Con.” Hank stopped him again. “I know. I want to put those douche bags behind bars just as much as you do. But even if they’re doing what you say- we can’t bring charges without actual evidence.”

“But I-”

“You broke in.” Hank said, and Connor went quiet. “We can’t make a reasonable, lawful arrest. I’ve already got a binder full of disciplinary issues, Con, I don’t need anymore.”

“You didn’t do anything.” Connor insisted. “I’ll say it was only me.”

“Unfortunately that won’t fly. You’re under my watch, I’ll get blamed anyway.” Hank sighed, twisting the cap off of a beer and taking a drink. He then reached into the fridge and threw a packet of blue liquid at Connor, who fumbled with it. “Go give that to Snookums over there- looks like he got hit by a bus.”

“Right…” Connor sighed, he wasn’t kidding either- Markus was laying face down on the couch, one hand hanging off the side, dangling just above the floor where Sumo was curiously sniffing. North, Simon and Josh were all sitting on the floor watching, all with different expressions on their faces.

Connor went over and shooed Sumo away. The dog only inched back a few steps, Connor tapped lightly on Markus’ shoulder who made a faint noise before rolling over. Connor held out the pouch and Markus’ eyes lit up at the sight of it. He took it, popped it open and stuck one end in his mouth.

“Thank you.” He mumbled around the packet- although it sounded rather muffled. Connor smiled but noticed Markus’ tired face shift into worry as he looked past Connor. The brunet turned and saw Sumo standing beside him, panting heavily, tail wagging. Connor grinned at the saint Bernard and sat back on the floor, calling the dog to his lap- who flopped down across his legs instantly.

“Jesus- Connor if you keep letting him do that he’s gonna break my legs one day.” Hank grumbled as he stalked over, slapping at Markus’ feet who only managed to slide one up- the other Hank grabbed and pushed to the side so he could sit down. He snatched the TV remote and hit play before anyone could protest. Connor pulled Sumo further into his lap- which was a difficult feat- and sat so he was leaned up against the couch beside Hank’s legs.

As the movie progressed, Simon, Josh and North all moved to sit more comfortably- North found herself sitting in the chair off to the side, Josh leaning up against her legs. Simon on the other hand, came to sit beside Connor and was promptly crushed by Sumo- but he didn’t seem to mind.

Hank fell asleep within the hour, as did everyone else- although they weren’t really sleeping, just in sleep mode in order to repair and recharge their systems. Something Connor hadn’t done for a long time.

He didn’t like closing his eyes.

The movie ended, and the credits were rolling when Connor noticed a tap on his shoulder. He craned his neck to look up at Markus, who was still laying on the couch- feet long since sprawled across Hank’s lap which Connor was still reeling about.

Markus held out his hand, and Connor raised a silent eyebrow at him, which just earned a wave of his hand. Connor eventually reached up and grabbed Markus’ hand- and that was it.

The usual query popped up as soon as their fingers so much as brushed but Connor dismissed it. Markus grabbed and pulled Connor’s arm closer to him and eventually stopped, Connor was confused at first be let the other android hold his hand, figuring there was a good reason for it.

Not but a minute later the query appeared again and Connor dismissed it again- and this went on for a good ten minutes until he finally relented. Markus squeezed his hand- indicating that he had gotten the request. It was painfully awkward for some reason, those few seconds it took for Markus to accept. But as soon as he did Connor felt his shoulder relax, and there was a tightness in his chest that dissipated- a tightness he had never even noticed until then.

His eyelids grew heavy- and his mind grew foggy. It was the first time Connor had really realized how tired he was. He hadn’t attempted to enter charge mode since the last time he had seen Amanda. She had always appeared behind closed eyelids and he couldn’t face it.

But this time seemed to be different. When his eyes closed, rather than Amanda, he saw Markus- not him directly, but his essence so to speak.

And that was the first time Connor had successfully fallen asleep in weeks.

  
December 11th 2038, 12:31 PM

Connor sat directly across from Elijah, who was poking tiredly at his lunch with one hand and typing slowly on his laptop with the other. Chloe was beside Connor, flipping through a magazine that held no good news.

“Connor.” Elijah spoke up after a minute. “Did Fowler get my request?” He asked, and Connor nodded.

“He did. There has been no news of Jason Graff’s whereabouts- I apologize.” Connor answered.

“That’s fine.” Elijah sighed. Jason Graff was the Director of Humanization, made CEO after Kamski resigned. The man had disappeared- and was Elijah’s main suspect for the goings on as of late.

“Elijah….” Connor asked quietly, earning a noise of acknowledgment. “I have a question regarding models.” He said, and Elijah paused, looking him in the eye for the first time since they sat down for lunch- well, since Elijah had sat down for lunch.

“And what might that be?” He asked, pulling off his glasses and closing the laptop.

“Do androids of the same model usually form stronger connections?” Connor asked.

“As in?” Kamski asked, and Connor frowned.

“As in an would two Ax models connect better than an Ax and an Hk model?” Connor asked and Elijah nodded to himself.

“I don’t believe so.” He answered- which made Connor’s shoulders slump. “Android models depend on their specialties, the numbers are how advanced they are. But all androids have basically the same coding, making them all equally able to connect with each other over the network. Considering some androids were employees and other were buyers- if there was an issue with money transfer, there would be huge problems that I did not want to deal with.” Elijah explained. “Why do you ask?”

“Well…” Connor began- although he was reluctant. “It just seems that- out of all the androids I have come across, Markus forms much stronger connections with me. However I suppose that could be just how he is with everyone. But I thought perhaps it was due to our models-”

“Elaborate.” Elijah said more than asked and Connor nodded.

“It’s just that whenever he’s around, my system alerts me of the option to interface- sometimes when we haven’t even touched- it is slightly annoying.” Connor admitted and Elijah raised an eyebrow at him.

“Strange.” Was all he said, nodding silently to himself for a few minutes. “Although I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Why?” Connor asked.

“You see Connor. The RK200 was my last creation. I made him unique- meaning I gave his code the ability to change itself and grow. It learned, which means the more androids he came in contact with, the more his network ability changed. It’s probably a lot different compared to other androids which may explain why he forms stronger connections with other androids. But there’s also this: CyberLife built you as an exact copy of the RK200, and added a few improvements…..” Elijah trailed off, his face seemed to light up at his own words and he stood up suddenly.

“Elijah?” Chloe asked.

“If yours and Markus’ codes are the exact same- then that means whoever was on the team that developed you took the code I developed, found the exact part of it that gave Markus his ability to deviate and changed it.” He explained loudly to more himself than to Connor. “This virus- it’s nearly the same thing as the deviant code, which means I can probably make it myself and if I can figure out how to make it- I can figure out how to delete it.” He finished and slapped a hand on the table to emphasis the importance of his declaration.

“That’s wonderful.” Chloe said with a smile. Elijah and Connor both looked at her, and much to Connor’s surprise, Elijah began to laugh. Chloe let out a few giggles of her own, and the sight made Connor understand just what Markus meant when he said he loved his friends-

Connor loved his friends as well. He was sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tumblr! http://sneaky-beekee.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also if interested, Connor's favorite song mentioned is Cheek to Cheek by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.


End file.
